The Watcher
by RheyaKelvin
Summary: Eric Northman is the Vampire Sheriff of Area 5; Sookie Stackhouse is a 6-year-old child with a surprising talent. When they unexpectedly meet, it is the beginning of an unorthodox friendship... and more.  Pre-Great Reveal/AU.
1. The Hunt

_Disclaimer_: The _SMV_ universe and its inhabitants all belong to Charlaine Harris

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**A/N**: A _huge_ shout-out to **ALL ABOUT ERIC**: Beta extraordinaire, FF's benevolent Patron Saint and multi-talented goddess. Her story _Immortal Beloved_ is the direct inspiration for this fanfic.

Song for this chapter : _Hunter_ by Björk

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**Chapter 1: THE HUNT**

**EPOV**

As I awoke from my day slumber, the first sensation to assault my senses was the pungent smell of the rich earth in which I had spent the day lying. As I clawed my way back to the surface, I could feel the anticipation and bloodlust surge in my chest.

When I emerged from the ground, naked and covered in wet soil, I made my way towards the meadow where I knew my Weres were waiting for my rising. I had carefully glamoured them to stay put around the edge of the clearing and not to attempt to follow my scent to my resting place in the ground. A Vampire cannot be too careful with his safety.

It was very unusual for me to rest beneath the ground. Ever since the invention of modern plumbing I had favoured the comfort of human homes, only resorting to such drastic measures when necessity called for it.

This time, however, it was not my survival instinct that had led me to spend the day in the dirt but my predatory nature. Tonight, I was in full hunter mode.

The two Weres smelled me before they saw me and closed the distance separating us. The first to reach me was Arnold, a hulking male who seemed to be made of muscles layered upon muscles. I knew for a fact that in his wolf form he was monstrously huge, and yet as agile and fast as Weres half his bulk. Strength and speed: a lethal combination. He was dressed in head to toe Navy Seal-style black gear. I observed him with satisfaction, pleased with my selection: he would make a fearsome hound.

"Report," I commanded.

"Everything is in place, sir. There has been no activity in the meadow all day, but the smell hanging in the air started shifting about an hour ago, and it's getting more intense."

I took a deep pull of air into my lungs. The smell of magic was indeed strong now and I could feel the ancient power humming on my skin and energising me.

Behind Arnold was the Were-bitch, Amy, a petite woman who appeared positively dwarfed by her massive companion. She was dressed in a similar fashion to Arnold but her slight frame looked out of place beside the powerful bulks of the Were and myself. She was, however, a world-class tracker (the best in Louisiana in fact) and the reason why we were all here tonight.

Amy handed me a small cooler from which I extracted two donor blood bags. I drank long and hard, making sure my hunger was satiated. I needed my senses to be razor-sharp and my concentration to be absolute. I tolerated the cold, slightly bitter taste of the blood, consoling myself by thinking of the ambrosia on which I would feast later.

Tonight, I would feed from my first Fairy in more than two decades.

The Weres watched me consume the blood, barely acknowledging my filthy and naked state: they regularly saw worse. When I was done, Amy handed me a large bottle of water, the contents of which I poured over my head and body to wash away the dirt. After discarding the empty container, I gave my orders:

"Arnold, take your position at the edge of the clearing. Amy, I want you to circle around in the woods and report immediately if you smell another presence, especially another vampire." I would not be cheated of my prey by a rival.

Both Weres nodded and sped away. I moved at Vampire speed towards my own observation perch in an old tree at the edge of the meadow, and began the wait.

When Amy had contacted me 16 months ago with the news that she had found a Fairy portal, I had at first dismissed her claims as fantasy. Fairy portals were shrouded in secrecy and guarded by heavy magic. They had to be: they were the only doorways between Faerun and the human world, and as such a major vulnerability of the Fae.

While Fairies could teleport anywhere within the human world (making them _extremely_ hard to catch) they could only cross dimensions at specific locations on the planet. Some of the older portals in Ireland, France, England and Spain had been discovered by my kind during the Vampire/Fairy wars, and had been abandoned by the Fae. However, the location of the North American portals remained a mystery.

The revelation that there could be one quietly sitting within my Area, practically in my back garden, had made my head spin. When Amy had led me to the backwater town of Bon Temps, I had fully expected the whole evening to be a futile exercise, possibly even a pathetic assassination attempt.

Amy was indebted to me after I had helped cover up the quadruple murder (a couple and their twin four-year-old sons) her degenerate father had committed while high on drugs during a full moon. I had been Sheriff of Area 5 for less than two years then and it had been one my first real challenges. I had needed not only to clean up the crime scene but also to glamour the witnesses and arrange for the morgue where the bodies were stored to burn to the ground before the mangled remains could be fully examined. Amy's father should have been executed (this was the penalty for nearly exposing our world to the unsuspecting humans through reckless behaviour) but when I had learned of Amy's unusual ability, I had opted to make her a deal instead. I had arranged for her father to be incarcerated in a special high-security Supe prison in exchange for the lifelong free use of her tracking gift.

So, when she had come across the distinctive smell of Fae magic in the woods her Pack had used in Bon Temps for their monthly run, she had thought she had found a way to settle her debt and gain a pardon for her father. Amy clearly hoped that bringing me such a valuable prize would free her from lifelong servitude. While I had made no promises, I had already decided that I would release her if her intel turned out to be good and led me to a succulent Fairy buffet (her father, however, would remain in jail).

The first few months after her discovery had proved to be utterly disappointing. While I had been excited to see that the meadow she had discovered did indeed bear the signs of Fae magic, the portal itself appeared to have been abandoned. The Fairy magic smell was so faint that if I had not been looking for it I would have missed it (hence the fact that Amy, with her extraordinary sense of smell, was the first Supe to notice it) and my spies had reported no activity at all. After four months of no results I had given up interest and called off the operation, now convinced that the portal was sealed, but Amy had refused to give up on her golden ticket to freedom and her resolve had paid off.

Days after I had called off my spies, the portal burst into activity during one of Amy's midnight watches. Crouching in the trees at the edge of the clearing, Amy saw a male Fairy materialise in the middle of the meadow before making his way into the woods. Unable to contact me without betraying her presence to the Fairy, she had elected to follow him at a distance. The Fairy had walked towards the house built on the other side of the woods. The background information file I had read on the property had informed me that this was the home of a human widow called Adele Stackhouse who owned the stretch of land where the woods (and the Fairy meadow) rested. She also had a brother and two children living nearby with their respective families but I had deemed that information to be irrelevant.

The Fairy had silently sat on the porch outside the house all night. Amy had not dared to risk taking her eyes off the Fairy or attempting to contact anyone for fear that the slightest movement would alert him. When morning came, the Fairy knocked on the front door. He had been welcomed by the widow and invited inside. While it would have been a perfect opportunity to contact me at last, it was now daylight, and the Weres she called to help her secure the Fairy for me did not make it in time. According to Amy, the Fairy spent an hour inside the house before taking his leave. However, as he bade farewell to the human woman, Amy overheard him telling her that he would be back in a year's time.

A year. That was tonight.

My investigators had been unable to discover the nature of the relationship between the Fairy and the widow but that was of little importance to me now. I could feel through the steadily growing power and magic smell in the air that the Fairy was going to make good on his promise. My excitement had reached breaking point when, around midnight, the air in the middle of the meadow begun to shimmer and glow.

My muscles tensed in anticipation and I swiftly took hold of the objects I had concealed in a cache in the trunk of the tree. Three large iron arrows, their tips lethally sharp, gleamed in my hands. I had no need for a bow: my own strength would be more than enough to propel the weapons. The aim was not to kill (Fairy blood was much more succulent when drawn from a still-beating heart) but to greatly injure my prey so that he would be too weak to teleport to safety. Arnold and I would then run him down in the woods, flanking him on each side and cornering him until he had nowhere to go. Then, I would finish him. Slowly.

The shimmer was intensifying and turning gold, and the air was pulsing with power. I prepared myself, an arrow at the ready. I would have only one chance to strike: once the Fairy realised he was under attack, he would teleport away and be lost to me forever.

I could now distinguish the outline of a long-limbed and longhaired male. When the silhouette began to solidify, I took my chance. Now was the time: the Fairy was still slightly disorientated from the dimension-crossing and would not see the attack coming. I launched the arrow with all my might, aiming for the Fairy's upper chest. A long swoosh sound broke the silence of the meadow before a cry of pain echoed across the clearing. Bull's eye!

The Fairy was staggering on his feet, the iron arrow protruding from his chest on his right side. I zeroed in at Vampire speed towards the injured Fairy, but I had underestimated his resilience. Before I could reach him, he pulled the arrow out and began to gather his magic. I saw the glow form in his hand before I was hit by a blast of energy. I felt as though I had hit a concrete wall and was thrown back twenty feet. The Fairy took advantage of my brief setback to attempt teleporting away. However, the iron-induced wound had crippled his magic and he was only able to teleport over a distance of a few feet at a time. As he was attempting to flee in the direction of the house, Arnold leaped out of his hiding-place in full wolf form to join the chase. The desperate Fairy kept throwing balls of energy in our direction but we managed to dodge them for the most part. The continued use of the offensive magic as well as the teleportation was taking its toll on the Fairy and he was quickly draining his batteries. Arnold and I were closing in fast, but we had to reach him before he could make it to the Stackhouse home. The house would offer him only partial sanctuary: while I could not enter without invitation, Arnold would have no such issue; but I did not want to involve the human woman at all.

As the Fairy drew clear of the woods, I managed to throw another arrow through one of his lower legs, just as he was popping in front of the house. He stumbled on his back and Arnold was on him in an instant, crushing him with his weight. I zoomed to their side, a greedy smile gracing my lips. I was high on the exhilaration of the hunt, my body coursing with electricity. Tonight I would have my prize. The scent of Fairy blood rose in the air, oozing from the fresh wounds of my prey. Bloodlust was threatening to overcome my reason but I had enough faculties left to know I needed to take my captive away from any possible human witness.

Just as I was ordering Arnold off the Fairy so I could soar into the air with my prey tightly secured in my arms, I caught some movement on my peripheral vision. I looked up to see a little white form behind a windowpane on the first floor of the house. It was a human child, staring down at us with wide eyes.

Shit.

I was only distracted for a few seconds but it was all the time the Fairy needed to make a last-ditch break for freedom. Taking advantage of Arnold's shifting weight, the Fairy swiftly pulled the arrow from his leg and stabbed the Were with it, using Arnold's own momentum against him. My attention was dragged away from the child back to the matter at hand but it was too late. Drawing from an unsuspected reservoir of magic, the Fairy directed one last attack at me, blasting a ball of energy right into my face. I was too close to dodge and suffered the full force of the attack: I felt my bones fracture painfully as I was blown away towards the woods, before crashing into the trunk of a tree. The pain was excruciating and when I regained control of my body, I saw with horror that a large splinter of wood was embedded in my side: it had only missed my heart by a couple of inches. I howled in pain as I extracted it and searched for the Fairy.

He was gone.

Arnold was sprawled on the grass in his human form, bleeding profusely from a belly wound. As I was taking in the scene, the light was switched on inside the house. _Shit, shit, shit. _I quickly grabbed Arnold's body and sped towards the woods. I felt Amy quietly join me, and she immediately began to tend to Arnold's injuries.

I watched as an elderly woman in a baggy nightgown and with dishevelled hair barged out of the front door. I had to silence a chuckle when I realised she was carrying a large shotgun. _That lady had balls._

"Who is there?" The woman cried out. "Show yourself!"

When no answer came, she looked around her in confusion before asking:

"Fintan, is that you?"

Fintan?

Fintan!

That name, it could only be…

I let out a growl of frustration: I had nearly feasted on a Fairy Prince. Still, that revelation explained the unexpected strength and power of the Fairy that had just escaped me. Fintan was a Brigant, the most powerful of all the Fairy families. Even a half-breed like himself was a formidable adversary.

After a few moments, the elderly woman retreated inside her home and the house was dark and silent once again. As I lifted my eyes up to the first floor, I could see that the little white figure had not moved an inch. I took to the air, flew towards the human child and paused outside the widow. The child was very young (how young exactly, I could not tell). She had blonde hair, gorgeous dark blue eyes and a round face. Despite the expression of shock on her face, I could see that she was a very pretty little girl. However, that was beside the point at the moment. Behind her in the room I could see another human child, male, fast asleep in a bed.

Since she was openly staring at me, I began my glamour. I would need to wipe the child's mind of all memories of this night before I could start the clean-up (not to mention find an outlet to spend all that pent-up bloodlust and frustration). Except… it wasn't working. I furrowed my brows when I sensed that my glamour was failing to take hold of the little human's mind. It was as if my influence met a slippery surface. The child was completely unresponsive and was still staring at me. I was utterly confused. Was the house protected by a Fairy charm that would prevent its inhabitants from being glamoured? I had never heard of such magic, nor had I ever encountered a human that could not be glamoured.

While I was pondering on this enigma, the child surprised me by reaching up to the window frame and slowly lifting up the glass between us. Her scent reached me for the first time: she smelled absolutely delicious. She pointed a finger in my direction and slowly extended it. Just as she was about to touch me, I realised that I was still stark naked, not having bothered with clothes for my hunt. When her finger made contact with my skin, the child was still for a few seconds before letting out a piercing scream.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNN!"

Once my original shock subsided, I immediately soared away in a hasty retreat.

I was utterly mortified.

I had been chased away by a human child. A human child I could not even manage to glamour.

I, Eric Northman, great Viking Warrior and powerful Sheriff of Area 5, had been routed by a braying brat.

Tonight had turned into a complete and utter disaster. I would have to glamour the Weres to forget about all that had occurred, as I doubted my reputation would survive if the tale spread.

As I touched down in front of the entrance to my resting place, I resolved to put that miserable night out of my mind; especially the little human who had so humiliated me.

Yet, somehow, the enigmatic little girl was the last thought on my mind as I felt the pull of the dawn.

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**A/N**: Thank you for reading. Next chapter Crime and Punishment should be up by the end of the week.


	2. Crime and Punishment

**A/N**: I wish to thank everybody who has added this story to their favourite and their alert roll-call. Some of you even added me to their favourite author list and, after just one chapter, that is one hell of a confidence call. Thank you so very much! I have tried to send PMs of thanks to you all but I was soon swamped and FF doesn't make it easy to send mass e-mails so I had to give up.

Know, however, that I will answer every single reviews. I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the kind response and the encouragements. I do hope this new chapter will prove worthy of all your praises.

I must once again bow deeply to my incredibly efficient and dedicated Beta **ALL ABOUT ERIC**. If you're reading her wonderful story _Immortal Beloved_, you might detect some similarities between Eric and Sookie's first meeting in both our stories: this is intentional, as _IB_ is the direct inspiration for my tale.

In the future, my A/N won't be so wordy _(hopefully)_, but I wanted to show the depth of my gratitude at least once. Thank you!

For those who enjoy visual aids, I have uploaded a **character picture gallery** on my profile. The gallery will be updated as the story goes along.

Suggested song for this chapter: _Sullen Girl_ by Fiona Apple.

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**Chapter 2: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT**

**EPOV**

From the moment I rose the human child was at the forefront of my mind. I could not find any rational explanation as to why my glamour had been unsuccessful and if there is one thing I cannot stand, it is not being in control of a situation. If my glamour was failing me then I was in extreme danger.

As I prepared myself for the evening's proceedings, I couldn't help replaying my encounter with the strange girl over and over again in my mind. Aside from the embarrassment and frustration I felt when recollecting the previous night's fiasco, I also experienced a twinge of amusement: there was something comical, after all, about everything going so spectacularly wrong.

I exited my town house in an affluent suburb of Shreveport, climbed into my black Mercedes and sped towards _Dragon House_, the private members' club I owned and from where I performed my Sheriff's duties and ran my business empire. My child, Pam, had mercilessly teased me about naming my HQ in a manner she claimed was more suitable for a massage parlour. I had explained many times to my aggravating second-in-command that I had named the club after the longships on which I used to go 'a-Viking' and yet she would not drop the subject, insisting on dubbing my HQ 'the most understaffed Little Whorehouse in Louisiana'.

The first thing I did after settling in my office was to test my glamour on my fuck-and-feed for the night. I was pleased to find that I could perform flawlessly. I successfully repeated the experiment on my day-man when he came to check in. In spite of these reassurances, I quickly discovered that I could not concentrate on my work. After expediting the most pressing issues, I left Pam in charge and checked out for the night. I climbed the service stair to reach the roof of the building and took to the air.

When I arrived at Adele Stackhouse's home, it was barely after 8 pm. I hovered in the distance to assess the situation. Before leaving with Arnold, Amy had thankfully thought to use the garden hose found on the property to water down the blood spilled during the battle, so there was little evidence left of a confrontation. The house itself was brimming with life: I could sense four humans on the ground floor and another one on the first floor. The smell of cooking wafting through the open windows was strong but I could still detect that the child I was looking for was not inside.

I stepped closer and began sniffing the air.

I caught a whiff of the girl's aroma and followed the scent toward a white metallic shed on the side of the house. I paused to make certain that I was unobserved and that the child was alone before making my move.

I approached the unlocked doors of the shed and slowly pulled them open. I paused at the entrance, allowing my silhouette to be bathed in the moonlight in order to give the child time to get used to my presence. The last thing I wanted was a repeat of the previous night.

The shed was obviously used as a storage facility for various appliances, mostly gardening tools. The only source of light in the cramped space was a small window on one of the side walls adjacent to the entrance. My heightened sense of smell immediately zeroed in on a worktable partially covered by a green tarpaulin: the little human had selected that makeshift shelter as a hiding place. I stepped in unhurriedly and advanced towards the place where the child was huddled. When I was close enough, I squatted down and whispered:

"Hello, little one. Who are you hiding from? Not me, I hope?"

I waited for an answer but none came; only the sound of her laboured breathing and fast-beating heart.

"I will not hurt you, little one. I just want to talk," I declared in a reassuring tone.

After a couple of minutes of total stillness, the tarpaulin shifted slightly. As a little blonde head popped tentatively from the opening I was hit by a gust of the child's delicious perfume. Her scent was even more potent than it had been the previous night and I found myself deeply filling my lungs with the enchanting fragrance. I saw that she was holding a caterpillar cuddly toy whose head was glowing faintly. Her inquiring blue eyes never left me as she studied every single one of my features. Finally, she whispered:

"Close the door."

I did as I was bade then went back to my previous position. The child was still staring at me, but I could feel no fear coming from her, only avid curiosity. While I was glad she wasn't afraid of me, I found her eerie calm to be very perplexing, especially in light of what she had witnessed the previous night.

We stared at each other quietly as I let her adjust to my presence. After a pause, I decided to break the silence:

"What is your name, little one?"

She hesitated briefly before answering:

"I'm Sookie. You?"

"Sookie… What an interesting name. I am Eric. Eric Northman. Nice to meet you."

The girl looked at my extended hand but made no move to shake it.

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers," she said instead.

I smiled softly and retorted:

"But I am not a stranger. We met last night, don't you remember?"

When she failed to respond, I pressed on:

"Where are your parents, Sookie? Do they know where you are?"

"My Mama and Daddy are in the kitchen with Gran and Uncle Bartlett. They think I'm playing with Jason in our room, but I sneaked outside."

"How clever of you, little one."

Sookie shrugged her shoulders and was silent once more. Since her eyes were not leaving mine, I choose that opportunity to try and glamour her once again. I saw her scrunch her face in annoyance before she exclaimed:

"Stop that!"

Once again I had failed at my attempt at glamouring the child. I was completely gobsmacked that this teacup human was able to resist my 1,000-year-old glamour. Who, or rather _what_, was she? I took another deep breath in order to analyse her scent. Aside from the fact that she smelled enchanting, I couldn't identify any particular supernatural signature. Accepting my failure, I resolved to puzzle out the mystery in a more roundabout fashion.

"What do you think I'm doing, little one?"

"You're making bubbles in my head! It tickles!"

Is that how she experienced my glamour? It was quite extraordinary that she could resist my influence, and even more surprising that she could tell at all what I was doing.

"I'm sorry, little one, I won't do it again."

She nodded and we went back to our staring contest. This time, I decided to wait for her to engage me. She did so after a couple of minutes:

"You glow!"

I was taken aback by her remark.

"You can see me glow?"

The child brandished her toy and thrust it in my face.

"Yes, you glow like Woo here. How do you do that?"

I considered her words. Vampires had indeed a faint glow that differentiated them from humans and other Supes but humans could not see it. Could it mean that the child was something other? But if so, what? She did not smell like anything I had ever encountered.

"I don't know how I do it, little one. I guess I was just born this way." _Well, not exactly, but let's keep things simple._

Sookie nodded again and made another unexpected statement:

"You only have one voice!"

"What do you mean, little one? Doesn't everybody?"

"No," she stated with authority, "everybody has two voices. A mouth voice and a head voice. You only have a mouth voice."

A head voice? What could she mean? _Could she possibly…_

"You hear voices inside people's heads?"

"Yes. The head voice says something and then the mouth voice says something different and it's hard to tell which is which. My Daddy says I can only answer when people talk with their mouth voice, but it's very hard."

I had stayed silent during her little rant but inside I was doing the Vampire equivalent of a happy dance.

I had found a telepath.

_A fucking telepath._

Out of nowhere, in the backwater town of Bon Temps (a place I would never have set foot in if it hadn't been for a certain Fairy), I had stumbled upon a treasure fit for a King. Suddenly, my failure to catch Fintan seemed serendipitous. Sookie being a telepath certainly went some way towards explaining why she couldn't be glamoured. I began to wonder what other talents she possessed (or would develop, in time): the possibilities seemed endlessly fascinating. One thing was certain: now that I had unearthed this rarity, I would conceal and protect her until I could claim her for my own.

My very own telepath! How delightful.

"Can anybody else in your family hear 'head voices' like you?" I inquired.

She shook her head.

"No, I'm the only one. My Mama says I'm sick in the head."

I internally scowled at hearing such harsh words.

Sookie came out from under the table to stand before me and extended her right hand to touch my face, an intimate gesture I chose to allow and endure. After a few moments, during which she looked as if she were in deep concentration, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around my neck in a tight hug.

I was surprised by her sudden trusting attitude but satisfied that her initial reserve was gone.

When she let go of me, she was smiling brightly.

"You feel very good. It's not so hard with you."

I didn't fully understood what she had meant but I assumed she was referring to my absence of 'head voice' and it was a relief that she apparently couldn't read my mind. While I was determined to fully explore the subject, I resolved to let it slide for now and instead work on gaining her trust.

I returned her smile before questioning her:

"You never answered me, little one: who are you hiding from?"

Sookie's demeanour changed at my enquiry. She stiffened, raised her chin in defiance and crossed her arms across her chest.

"It's a secret," she huffed.

"I'm very good at keeping secrets," I returned.

Ignoring my remark, she demanded:

"Why were you so mean to the man with silver hair last night?"

I raised an eyebrow at her feistiness but decided to humour her.

"I… well, my friends and I were playing a game of Tag; that's all." Not a _complete_ lie.

She eyed me sceptically before snapping back:

"But I saw a big wolf and then it turned into a man!"

"Did you discuss that with anyone?"

She shook her head.

"No. When Gran came to the room I told her I had a nightmare because I didn't want Jason to say I was making up lies."

"Jason?"

"My brother, Jason," she answered slowly, as if talking to someone particularly dim-witted.

I let her know she had made the right decision and thought about what explanation to give her before deciding I might as well tell her the truth. If she babbled to an adult her tale would be dismissed as overactive imagination.

"The wolf-man you saw was a Werewolf."

She looked at me with an awed look on her face and asked:

"Werewolves are real?"

"Yes, little one. Very real."

She was speechless with wonder while absorbing the knowledge. I was surprised she didn't ask me what _I_ was but I suppose flying wasn't as impressive as turning into a wolf in her eyes.

After a while, she inquired:

"Why were you so mad?"

I chuckled at her line of questioning before answering:

"Well, I was supposed to 'tag' the silver-haired man but I lost. That's why I was so upset."

Sookie nodded her understanding.

"I like to play Tag too, but I'm not a bad loser like you!"

I had to laugh at her candidness. That child was better company than most humans I was forced to deal with.

"So, I answered your question. How about you answer mine: who are you hiding from?"

Sookie dithered, her arms still protectively crossed over her chest. Finally, she whispered, so low that without my vampire hearing I would have missed it:

"Uncle Bartlett. He's a bad man."

"And why is that, little one?"

"It's a secret!" she repeated obstinately.

It had been an eternity since I'd had to deal with children. Actually, my last real interaction with humans as young as the little girl standing before me dated back to my own human years. Even then, my experience hadn't been particularly extensive as I had not been a hands-on father: it wasn't something my culture encouraged.

I decided to go on instinct. This little human appeared to be fairly reasonable and I felt confident she would respond well to kindness and honesty. Modulating my voice to a smooth and soothing register, I tried again:

"Sookie, I want to become your friend. I want you to trust me. Don't you want us to be friends?"

She surveyed me silently before murmuring her assent. I smiled softly before carrying on:

"Friends trust each other. You already know my secret: you know that I can fly. So it's only fair that you should share your own secret with me, don't you think?"

Sookie seemed to consider that for a moment before looking me in the eyes and stating:

"OK. But you can't tell anybody."

I nodded. She took a deep breath and finally confessed:

"My uncle likes to… touch me." She averted her eyes and I could sense a wave of deep shame rolling off her. I was confused.

"You don't like people touching you?"

Why had she been so eager to embrace me earlier if she had issues with physical contact?

She raised her eyes again:

"No… it's different. I don't like it when people touch me because it makes their head voice scream at me." Interesting. _Physical contact enhanced her telepathy_. I filed this titbit away for later use and kept on listening. "But Uncle Bartlett likes to touch me… different."

She looked at me expectantly. I was still perplexed until understanding dawned on me. My body was swept by a wave of cold rage. My face must have shown the absolute disgust and anger I felt because Sookie recoiled from me in fear.

Instantly, I relaxed my features and extended her a hand in a gesture of appeasement.

"Do not fear me, little one. I would never hurt you."

I already knew that her uncle's life was forfeit and could feel the distress coming from Sookie but I could not let the matter stand: I needed to know how far the abuse had gone. I tried my best to cool down before asking:

"Sookie, has your uncle ever tried to… go… inside you?"

Sookie dipped her chin and looked down. She shook her head from side to side before responding:

"No. But he's thinking it." She looked up before adding "With his head voice. He's thinking soon, when I'm old like Hadley."

"Who is Hadley?"

"Hadley's my cousin."

"And how old is Hadley?"

"She's nine, like Jason. And me, I'm six."

"Has your uncle ever tried to touch Jason?"

"I don't think so. His head voice only says things about me and Hadley."

"I see."

So this Bartlett individual preyed on the vulnerable young females of his own kin. My disgust grew exponentially. This despicable human's death warrant had been sealed as soon as I became aware that he was mistreating my future asset, but the particular nature of his crimes meant that I would take great pleasure in his demise.

Sookie instinctively felt that Bartlett was a sick man and that his actions were wrong, but I doubted that she could grasp the full extent of her uncle's perversions. Well, this is was a knowledge I fully intended to spare her.

My decision made, I spoke up:

"Sookie, you are right to say that your uncle is a bad man, and I want you to know that bad things happen to bad people. Do you want me to make him stop bothering you?"

"You can do that?"

"Oh yes! I can make him stop and I can make him feel very sorry for ever hurting you. Do you want me to do that for you?"

Sookie enthusiastically nodded her little head and I smiled at her.

"Good. Is your uncle in the house right now?" She nodded again. "I want you to bring him outside. I cannot go inside myself but if you would lead him to the side of the garden next to the shed, I will have a talk with him. Do you think you can do that?"

She nodded once more.

"I will make him come to the garden," she stated.

"Perfect. I will wait for you there. Make sure only he comes out." I could of course glamour anyone who would attempt to interfere but I hoped I wouldn't have to.

Sookie exited the shed and walked up to the house. I watched her go inside before I left the shed and moved towards the garden. I crouched in the shadows and waited for the child to return. While the minutes flowed away I was subjected to a sudden pang of doubt. Was this plan wise? Had I not expected too much from the child? What if the vile predator took this opportunity to isolate Sookie and violate her more?

My plan had two goals. Firstly, I wanted to remove a dangerous individual from my future asset's life. I was already considering Sookie an unofficial part of my retinue and would not tolerate any threat to her well-being. Secondly, I wanted to gain the absolute trust and confidence of the child. If she came to see me as a friend and protector, it would make it much easier to secure her loyalty when she came of age. Still, the whole scheme would backfire terribly if it turned out that I had overplayed my hand.

I was starting to consider revealing myself and trying to gain entrance to the house when I saw the screen door open and Sookie came out the house, leading a mature man by the hand.

I immediately felt my anger rise. I could read the tension written all over Sookie's face and in her body language. Undoubtedly, her uncle's disturbing thoughts were broadcasting loudly through the hand contact. Still, the child made every effort to hide her unease while tugging on the arm of the older man. I unexpectedly felt pride surge in my chest at the little human's show of courage.

"Where are you taking me sweet darling?" Bartlett asked her, his voice syrupy and heavy with unpleasant undertones. I could not wait to get my hands wrapped firmly around the bastard's neck.

"I want to show you the pretty flowers, Uncle."

Steadily, she led him towards me. When he was close enough, I stood up from my crouch and placed myself in front of him.

"What the h…"

Before the fool had time to finish his sentence or call for help, I caught his eyes and held him steady with my glamour. When I was confident he was secured, I lowered my gaze onto Sookie.

"Very well done, little one. Now, what exactly do you want?"

Sookie didn't have to think twice. She said in a clear voice:

"I want him to leave me and Hadley alone."

"Do you want him to go away forever?"

There, the child took a moment to think the question over. When her decision was taken, she looked back up at me.

"Yes. I want him to go _far away_ and _never_ come back."

I smiled at the determined little girl: she had fire and spirit and I caught myself thinking she may one day make a decent Vampire.

Do not worry, little one, your uncle will go far away indeed. In fact, I am sending him to the infamous 666 ZIP code with a one-way ticket. But I would not tell Sookie that. Not yet, at least.

I turned my attention back to the pathetic waste of blood-cells before me and resumed my glamour:

"You will never lay a hand on Sookie again. In fact, you will never intimately approach a female child for the rest of your miserable life. You will immediately leave this house, claiming a sudden ailment, and never come back. Tomorrow you will wake up with the uncontrollable urge to change your life and move up to Jersey: you will pack your essentials, climb in your car and start the engine. Do. Not. Turn. Back."

In truth, the fool would never make it to his destination, but neither he nor Sookie needed to know that.

I further glamoured him to forget all about me and moved back to the shadows before releasing him. All through the process, Sookie had been silently observing with fascination.

When Bartlett regained his senses, he looked disoriented for a few seconds before gazing down at Sookie, who was now standing alone next to him.

"Sweet darling, you can show me the flowers another day. I'm feeling unwell and have to go back home."

Sookie merely nodded and watched as her uncle retreated into the house. When he was gone, she turned to me and asked very seriously:

"Are you a Jedi?"

I burst out laughing at her inquiry but was quite impressed that a six-year-old could grasp enough of the epic cinematic trilogy to reference it so casually.

"No, little one, I am _much_ more powerful than a Jedi." I answered her with a wink. "One day I will show you all of my powers." _And you will show me all of yours._

I was rewarded with a big smile and a girly chuckle. I was finding the little human increasingly delightful, but our encounter was drawing to a close for the time being.

"You must go back to the house before your uncle comes back out again. You are safe now, little one."

"Will you come see me again?"

"Yes, of course. We are friends now. You cannot speak of me to anyone, but I will come check on you as often as my work allows." I would certainly be keeping a close eye on my future asset. "Go now, little one."

Sookie nodded her assent but before leaving she surprised me by trotting over to me and tightly hugging my leg. Her arms still wrapped around my knee, she lifted her eyes and said:

"I'm happy you're my friend."

She then abruptly turned away and ran towards the house.

I stood motionless for a few minutes, ruminating on the events of the evening, an involuntary smile forming on my lips.

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**A/N**: Thank you for reading. Next chapter **Blood Ties** should be up by next Sunday.


	3. Blood Ties

**A/N**: According to the canon established by CH, time moves differently in Fairy and in the human world, yet she has never provided any details. For the sake of this story, I will adopt the following convention: one week in Faerun equals one day in the human world. When Niall mentions any stretch of time, he is speaking in term of Fae time. For example: 'one century' in the text equals roughly 14 human years.

I have updated the **character gallery** on my profile.

Suggested song for this chapter: _Peace, Love and Understanding_ by Elvis Costello

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**Chapter 3: BLOOD TIES**

**Niall POV**

The alabaster walls of the rotunda gleamed with a faint pink tinge in the late afternoon sun. Leaning casually against the parapet of the balcony, I scanned the horizon. Beneath me, and as far as the eye could see, lay the striking vegetation of my beloved Faerun: tender grass in shades of green and gold, fragrant flowers exhaling their heady aroma in anticipation of the coming dusk, ancient trees arrogantly sprawling their sinuous limbs as if to say 'herein, we are masters'. And so they were: admired and worshipped, alongside all living things within this realm. In Faerun all that could be seen (and much that could not be) was infused with Magic; and Magic was sacred. Lost in the beauty of the land, I mused on the events of the day.

Fintan's sudden appearance at dawn in the Palace had confounded me. He had lived in voluntary exile for more than three centuries and our relationship could only be described as tense and distrustful. Fintan's zealotry and paranoia had been at the root of our estrangement: he had lived so long amid humans that he had grown to love them above and beyond his own Fae kin.

I could not totally condemn him for his partiality: I myself was fond of the human realm and its sometimes surprising inhabitants. Fintan's own mother, and my one true love, Einin, had been human: she had appeared to me in the woods one day and I had been touched to the core by her beauty and the purity of her heart. However, in spite of my ties to the human world, my loyalties remained firmly with the Fae. Fintan had bitterly reproached me for my bias. He had accused me of using and exploiting humans for my own pleasure and self-interest, and of being condescending towards what I saw as imperfect and inferior creatures. His accusations had grown in intensity (and irrationality) when he had met and fallen in love with a human woman. I knew he had fathered children with the woman but he had denied me access to his family, shrouding their location in secrecy. The only proof I had of the existence of my human descendents was a sepia photograph of the woman, Adele, taken soon after she had discovered she was carrying Fintan's first child. My son had given me this gift in a conciliatory gesture that had been, alas, a distinctively isolated occurrence.

Adele was beautiful, almost as lovely as my Einin, and I had felt my heart swell with pride at the knowledge that my line would carry on. I had felt Fintan's heartbreak at the fact that he could not live as husband and wife with his human love: for one, he had confided that she was already married, and secondly, he could not live for a prolonged amount of time among the same group of humans as his Fairy nature was too pronounced and people would quickly grow suspicious. I secretly envied him his forced separation: watching Einin age, wither and finally die while I lived on had been torturous. I was glad he would be spared the same drawn-out torment.

Fintan's anguish and bitterness had driven a wedge between us, never to be repaired. His own whereabouts were mostly a mystery to me: he lived at the edge of Fae society, only interacting with us out of necessity and sometimes loneliness, using long-forgotten portals to transport through both dimensions, and generally trusting no-one. In these circumstances, his unexpected homecoming had excited my curiosity.

Soon enough, the true reason for Fintan's surprise return was made apparent: my son was dying.

While he had refused me an audience and would not offer any explanation as to how he had been so grievously wounded, I had been kept informed of his status and progress.

Fintan's mortality had always been a matter of concern to me: he was, after all, a mere half-breed and would never live as long as a full Fairy. During our last meeting, a century ago, I had been able to tell that his Fairy essence would soon run out: despite his youthful and beautiful face, his hair had already turned grey. The very little amount of time he spent in Faerun had prevented his weakened essence from regenerating and considerably shortened his life expectancy. In a century, two at most, his human side would take over and he would become a decrepit shell before dying a quick death. The brutal attack on his person had had the effect of accelerating his decay and, when I had at last been able to enter his chamber after he had lost consciousness, I could hardly recognise my son in the weak, wrinkled old man lying in the bed, his skin as pale and lifeless as the sheets. The extent of his injuries was appalling: his flesh had been torn out in places in his chest and leg, claw marks were visible all over his body and he was suffering from exhaustion and iron poisoning. The prognosis was dire.

I had called to his side my trusted Catriona, one of the most powerful healers of our kind, and my cherished lover. As soon as she had sat at Fintan's bedside, I could read in her eyes that his end was near. She had examined him extensively before raising her gaze to me.

"Your son will not live, Niall." She had announced in a sad voice. "His injuries are too great and his Magic too depleted."

I had hung my head in defeat and grief, but Catriona had spoken once more:

"There might be something…" she had said warily.

I had pressed her when she would not continue. Finally, after some persuasion, she declared:

"It is Forbidden Magic, Niall."

Forbidden Magic. The name itself made me pause. My Catriona was referring to the mysterious, often unwholesome magic of human witches. She herself was a half-breed, daughter of a Fire Fairy and a powerful Irish enchantress. Such heritage was rare: Fairies and humans seldom crossbred, and Fairies and human witches mixed even less. In the rare instances that Fairy/witch hybrids were produced, Fae Magic and human witchcraft would battle within the half-breed, resulting in madness, physical deformities and heavy infant mortality, if not stillbirths. In Catriona, however, both Magics had found an equilibrium, completing and strengthening each other rather than battling to the death and she had thus been gifted with extraordinary healing abilities and enhanced magical powers.

Her Magic had a dark side, however. Human witches were the descendents of the first human/demon hybrids: it was from this they got their affinity for Magic, but also their ability with (and propensity for) the occult. Catriona's own exploration of her dark gifts had nearly driven her to insanity and only my care, and her love for me, had brought her back from the brink. I understood her wariness but my son's life was at stake and I would hear all options, so I had commanded:

"Tell me all you know, my dearest. Withhold no details."

After a taking deep breath, Catriona had told her tale:

"During my travels in Africalands, I met and studied with a shaman who taught me the art of spirit transference. The technique consists of sucking a person's spirit out of his physical body to hold it trapped in an enchanted jar. The thus-obtained spirit can be held indefinitely in limbo, transforming the now soulless victim into a zombified slave, or it can be poured into the body of another where it will merge with the host's own spirit, extending his life and restoring his health. There are great dangers associated with this Magic, however: the donor's spirit can never be returned to his own body, his only options being death or an eternity as a soulless corpse; also, in the case of an actual transference, the receiver may go mad or even die… But I believe I could perform such a ceremony, harvesting Fae essence instead of human spirit."

I had silently pondered on my new knowledge, weighing the pro and cons of such a manoeuvre. Finally, I had made a decision: before I could sanction such a dangerous move I needed to know all about the context of Fintan's attack. I strongly suspected he been injured through reckless behaviour, as I knew of my son's proneness to gloominess and depression. If this latest incident had been a ploy to invite death, I would make no attempt to save his life: he had already lived close to 700 years, after all, and it was a good run. However, there was only one way to gain such knowledge, as I knew he would not talk, least of all to me.

"My dearest, will you perform the Blood Ties ceremony for me?" I had inquired.

Catriona had been amazed by my request. The Blood Ties charm, while not Forbidden Magic, was looked down upon as it allowed a Fairy to dip into the consciousness and memories of another one he was closely related to: most Fairies considered such charm a gross invasion of privacy and I had never seen it performed myself. No matter, the situation was desperate and the stakes high; I would worry about Fintan's sensibilities another time. Catriona had agreed to my request and had begun the preparation for the ceremony.

And so here I was, patiently awaiting my summoning in the alabaster rotunda.

When the messenger came to fetch me, the sun had already set. The clear black sky was constellated with stars and, for a moment, I was awed by the panorama. I silently noted that night-sky was one of the few things that were of equal beauty in Faerun and in the human realm. Humans had corrupted so many of their natural resources, but the sky, as yet, had been spared the havoc. It was only a matter of time, however, before they would destroy the firmament as they had done everything else. I exited the rotunda and turned in the direction of the Palace.

As I navigated the wide corridors, I passed the Coronation Room and glanced at the empty marble throne stationed on a podium beneath large epic tapestries: it was a grim remainder of the silent war being waged in Faerun, a conflict threatening to engulf this realm and bring about the destruction of our kind.

My nephew Breandan and I had long been rivals for the kingship of all the Fae and neither champion had yet amassed enough supporters to claim the throne unchallenged. His views were as antagonistic to mine as was possible: where I encouraged the involvement of Fairies in the human world and in human affairs, he advocated complete segregation. His hatred of all things human, and of Fae/human hybrids in particular, made him a dangerous enemy. He was currently plotting his next move with his lieutenants in his temporary stronghold in the Waterlands, awaiting the day when he could wage open war and claim all of Faerun.

At last, I reached my destination: The Pallum room. It was a round chamber made entirely out of pallum, a stone of unique magical properties only found in Faerun. Within this room, Magic of extraordinary power could be performed in relative safety. My Catriona was already seated in the centre of the room: she was wearing a silver gown, her bountiful blonde curls flowing freely on her shoulders. When she raised her blue gaze to me, I smiled appreciatively at her allure. She was kneeling before a large mirror and a curved dagger and three pallum bowls were arranged around her. Catriona beckoned me to her and I moved to sit opposite her on a plush cushion placed on the floor. From my position, I could now see that one of the bowls was filled with blood, which I knew to be Fintan's, and in another a muddy substance had been poured; the third one was empty.

Catriona commanded me to disrobe entirely and, after neatly folding my tailored suit and setting it down on the floor next to me, I resumed my position on the cushion, utterly unabashed by my naked state. My lover began to chant in ancient Gaelic, the Fae language my kind had taught the humans a long while back. I watched as a mist conjured from the ether formed before my eyes. I felt water trickle down my face and my shoulders and soon my skin was coated in the moisture. My head felt lighter and my senses duller; the air around me became seemingly denser. Catriona's voice reached me as if from far away: she was demanding that I extend my left hand. After I had done as bade, I felt a sharp blade cut through the tender skin of my palm. I looked down to see my pouring blood being collected in the formerly empty pallum bowl. When she had enough, Catriona sealed my wound with an incantation before decanting the contents of the bowl into the one containing Fintan's blood. She thoroughly coalesced the two liquids before spilling the resultant mix on the mirror.

Through the haze of my growing trance, I could see the blood flowing unnaturally, taking odd shapes, coiling and gushing over the brilliant surface, yet never leaving a smudge. Catriona extended me the remaining bowl and instructed me to swallow the slimy substance. I fully expected the concoction to taste foul but as the ooze hit my tongue, I was surprised to discover it had no flavor whatsoever. I drank greedily and by the time the bowl lay empty at my feet, I had lost hold of my lucidity. My lover's beautiful face appeared horribly deformed and the room was contracting and expanding around me. Just as panic was threatening to overcome me, the mirror beneath me grabbed my attention: the blood had finally evenly spread on the plane and shone abnormally. I bent forward to look more closely and saw images beginning to form. Soon after, my vision became blurry and a sharp pain behind my eyes forced me to shut my eyelids.

When the pain had subsided I re-opened them and was astounded to find myself standing right next to Fintan in a meadow under a bright night sky. I had barely taken in my surrounding when a sharp object tore at his chest. It was then that I understood what was happening: I had successfully entered Fintan's consciousness and was experiencing his memories as a bystander.

I passively witnessed Fintan's ambush and chase by what turned out to be no less than the mighty Viking. Interesting. The Vampire had been an ally of convenience during the Fae/Vampire wars, and his assistance had been instrumental in putting an end to the bloody conflict. And yet, here he was, mercilessly hunting my own kin.

After I had observed Fintan's brave resistance and final escape, I willed the memory to fade and brought forth earlier recollections. As I suspected, Fintan's was mostly a life of aimless wandering, chasing desperately after human companionship but unable to form any lasting bond. However, I became intrigued as Fintan's mind transported me once more to the meadow. The night was different but, as in the earlier memory, Fintan made his way through the woods towards a human house. This time he reached it without interference and sat on a porch, seemingly waiting for something or someone. The night dwindled away and when early morning came, Fintan at last knocked on the door. He was warmly welcomed by an elderly woman who seemed oddly familiar but whom I was not immediately able to identify.

Then it all fell into place: the skin had sagged and wrinkled and the hair greyed but I recognised the soulful brown eyes and delicate bone structure of Adele, Fintan's human love. My son's affectionate, almost reverent, gestures towards the woman told me that his love had not faded with the years. I concentrated further to be able to hear their conversation. After listening eagerly while Adele spoke of her life, family and health, Fintan steered the talk specifically onto the subject of one of his kin, a girl named Sookie.

"_She is not getting better Fintan… I had hoped she would grow out of it, but her sixth sense is now more acute than ever," Adele explained._

"_I do not understand where this gift originates from, my darling Adele. It is not a Fae attribute. But wherever it comes from, it is an exceptional ability." Fintan responded._

"_I wish I could have as optimistic an outlook as you do. In truth, her 'gift,' as you call it, is making Sookie's life a nightmare. She keeps responding to people's thoughts and is mystified when she is chastised for it. Her parents are handling the situation poorly and burdening the poor child with guilt." The older woman looked positively defeated._

_Fintan took Adele's hand in his own and proceeded to appease her:_

"_My darling Adele, it is up to you to infuse Sookie with confidence in herself and in her gift. And a gift it is," he rushed to add when Adele raised an eyebrow. "She is blessed twice over, with her Fae heritage and this mysterious power. If you wish, my dear, I will meet the child when I come to visit you again in a year's time. I will speak to her and explain how special she is and why she should never feel ashamed of being different."_

"_Isn't it too early to reveal her ancestry to Sookie? Oh God, Fintan, I had hoped to shelter her from the supernatural world for as long as I could."_

"_I know, my darling Adele, but Sookie must never feel alone in the world. I myself had a wretched childhood, enduring the incessant taunts of my Fairy comrades, relentlessly bullied for being different… I will not allow my grand-daughter to ever feel as worthless and lonely as I have." Fintan sounded bitter, and the longing in his voice obviously touched Adele as she conceded:_

"_All right, then. I will make sure Sookie is at the house for your next visit. I will bring Jason too."_

"_Jason does not have the spark."_

"_I do know that, but he deserves to hear the truth about his heritage as much as Sookie."_

"_Very well, my darling. All will be revealed in a year's time."_

I allowed the memory to fade and slowly began to disentangle myself from Fintan's psyche. When I had fully regained my senses and was whole again, I realized I was sprawled across the floor of the chamber, my chest heaving and my body covered in sweat. I was sure I was running a fever as my skin felt burning to my touch and sharp pain coursed through my limbs. I became aware of Catriona's soft touch: she was hovering above me, wiping a soft cloth on my forehead and murmuring soothing words of comfort. When the trembling had subsided, I sat up, with the assistance of my lover. I felt exhausted and weak but also triumphant.

Fintan's descendant was a telepath.

My son had been correct in saying that telepathy was not a Fae attribute: I had only ever encountered telepathy among human witches. It could only mean one thing: Sookie was another successful Fae/witch hybrid. I had believed my Catriona to be unique, but at last I had found another like her.

From what I had been able to gather from Adele and Fintan's conversation, Sookie did not appear to be unwell or unbalanced, merely misunderstood. If I could reach her before her human kin destroyed her mind and confidence… if she could be persuaded to come to Faerun to develop her gifts… Oh, yes indeed, it would be glorious. With the expert tutoring of Catriona, Sookie could grow to be a magnificent asset to myself, and to Faerun. The discovery was extremely fortuitous as, due to a charm that had backfired, Catriona had been rendered infertile. Sookie could give me the edge I so desperately needed to win over some of Breandan's supporters.

My nephew and his followers were convinced that our kind's slow decline was the result of humans stealing our magic. They were fools. On the contrary, I believed that the Fae's survival lay in crossbreeding with gifted humans. In-breeding had always been rife among my kind, but with the sharp drop in our numbers within the past two centuries, the practice had taken its toll: our females bore fewer children at a time, infertility was widespread and life expectancy had decreased (in some cases halved). Faerun was dying.

This decline was due in part to the steady destruction of our sacred forests and lands by the humans, not to mention the industrial revolution that had seen iron spread within the human world like a virus. What Breandan refused to see was that, while humans had been the main cause of our problems, they also held the solution: by careful selecting gifted humans, we could use their vitality and healthy genes to replenish our own depleted gene pool and create extraordinarily talented Fairies, such as my Catriona and now Sookie. I believed that the prospect of harvesting other race's abilities and attributes would be enough to motivate even the most recalcitrant Fairies to see beyond their bigotry and embrace the benefits of interspecies breeding. After all, my kind always lusted after more power.

I had often attempted to bring forth the example of my Catriona, her exceptional powers as a shining example of how selective cross-breeding could work in our favour. Alas, I had been relentlessly rebuked, my detractors invariably pointing out that my lover was the one exception to the rule, that she could not be replicated. Well, I now had within my grasp the proof that she could indeed be re-created: a healthy hybrid, gifted with the Fae spark and with witchy telepathy. How truly beautiful!

Of course, it was important to restrict interaction with the human world or, at the very least, develop technologies that would allow us to roam safely within it (as I was myself doing). But what Breandan had planned, the sealing of Faerun with only pureblood Fairies within, was tantamount to suicide.

Catriona had remained silent as I ruminated on the new possibilities the existence of this child, my Great-Granddaughter, had opened. When I was calmed and stable enough, I turned to her and asked:

"When can you perform the 'spirit transference' ceremony?"

Catriona looked down as she answered:

"As soon as you acquire a donor."

I noted that she had not said 'willing donor': my lover knew that no Fairy would volunteer to give up his own essence to save another, least of all a half-breed such as Fintan.

I thought fast.

My other son by Einin, Dermot, was currently a guest in the Palace. He did not know it, but my spies had already informed me of his treachery: only two months earlier he had secretly joined Breandan's ranks, hiring himself out as a spy and swearing fealty to the man who would murder me without a moment of hesitation. Yet there he was, eating at my table, kissing my cheek and calling me Father. Very well, Dermot would receive no mercy from me. He would perish so that Fintan could live.

I was aware that in letting Fintan live I was taking a risk: he had been obsessively protective of his human family, and would most likely be incandescent when he discovered that I had learned of their exact whereabouts (not to mention what my plans were for Sookie). Yet I believed that, when presented with a _fait accompli_, he would have no choice but to ally himself with me to ensure Sookie's safety. I gambled on my son's protective instinct as well as his desire for revenge on those who had so mistreated him all through his childhood.

My decision made, I had my footmen transport me to my rooms (I was still too weak to teleport or walk the distance) and gave quick orders to my most trusted assassin as to the handling of Dermot (his abduction and subsequent disappearance had to be conducted with absolute discretion and secrecy) and commanded Catriona to perform the ceremony as soon as her Magic was recovered enough. Time was of the essence: Fintan might not make it to the morning.

I slept throughout the following day, and the one after that. On the third morning, my body had fully recovered and I was pleased to be greeted by the sight of Catriona by my bedside. I instinctively knew that she had only left my side to tend to Fintan as her loyalty to me was unwavering. After expressing her joy at my recovery, she announced that the ceremony had been a success, and that Fintan was currently resting. I made my way to his chamber to observe that, indeed, my son's injuries had fully healed. His face was a mask of health and youthful beauty once again, but it seemed that his hair would remain grey for the rest of his days. Catriona assured me that Dermot's essence was strong and would prolong Fintan's life by many centuries.

As I had secured the wellbeing of Fintan, I was free to concentrate on the task ahead: finding and contacting Sookie.

Locating the portal (and thus the house) only took hours. By then, Fintan had regained consciousness and fled the Palace without as much as a thank you. No matter, my son would come round in time. I waited patiently one more day before attempting to approach Sookie, as I wanted Fintan to be unsuspecting until I had secured the child. Finally, precisely six days after my son had come crashing through the doors of the Palace, I made my move.

I did not make the same foolish mistake as Fintan, using a poorly-protected portal to travel to the human realm; instead, I materialised in Virginia before teleporting to Bon Temps.

I had prepared myself for various scenarios and various degrees of enthusiasm coming from Sookie, but nothing could have prepared me for the sight that greeted me as I finally reached Adele Stackhouse's home: Sookie (for I knew instantly it was she) was standing outside the house, conversing confidently with none other than the Viking! I quickly assessed the situation from my observation point behind a tree. I had thankfully thought to suppress my essence before the Vampire could smell me and strained to eavesdrop on the exchange.

The Viking was apparently assuring my great-granddaughter of his _protection _and I could not discern any fear coming from the child: she seemed utterly relaxed in his presence, going as far as to hug him tightly (a gesture the Viking astonished me by allowing) before scurrying away, leaving a _smiling_ Vampire behind her. The scene I had witnessed was beyond shocking, and I momentarily let my guard down. I realised my mistake as soon as I saw the Viking sniffing the air excitedly and turning a greedy stare in the direction of my hiding place. I teleported away instantly, cursing my foolishness.

Within the safety of the hotel lobby to which I had teleported myself, I began to meditate on the unexpected turn of events.

So the Viking had discovered the existence of Sookie (damned be Fintan for leading the blood-sucker straight to the child!) and had somehow taken her under his 'protection'.

How much did he know? And what was his interest in the girl?

I did not fear for Sookie's immediate safety: the Viking was a honourable man, for a Vampire, and would not hurt or feed from a child. But his presence in Sookie's life made the situation exponentially more complex. I would have to reassess my whole plan and re-strategize.

As I teleported back to the portal in Virginia to make my way back to Faerun, I began to lay a new course of action.

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**A/N: **I wanted to clarify something about the timeline as I realise it can be a little confusing. As I said previously, one week in Faerun equals one day in the human world. So, while six days have passed in Faerun between the time Fintan returned and the time Niall appeared at Adele's house, in the human world, it has only been hours (nearly a day, but not quite).

If you remember from the first chapter, Eric meets Sookie very early one day, sometime after midnight. Later, on the night of the **same day**, he comes back to see her. Only daylight hours separate their first and second meeting. This is why Niall was able to witness the encounter: the timelines match. I hope this clarifies things a bit.

Thank you for reading. Next chapter **A Sorta Fairytale** should be up by the end of next week.


	4. A Sorta Fairytale

**A/N**: I apologize for the delay. I had this chapter written on Wednesday but lots of things happened that prevented me from posting earlier.

A huge thank you to my Beta **All About Eric**.

Suggested song for this chapter: _Smile _by Micheal Jackson

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**Chapter 4 – A SORTA FAIRYTALE**

**EPOV**

My eyes glazed over as I listened to the Vampire in front of me plead for clemency for his child. The rogue newborn was scheduled to be defanged and silvered later tonight as punishment for feeding on another's Vampire pet. As I saw it, he was lucky to keep his undead life. Two months in silver was a light sentence for breaking one of our kind's cardinal rules. In time, his fangs would re-grow and, hopefully, the lesson would be learned.

I looked with slight disgust at the rogue's Maker, still whining and making demands from his seat across my desk, and spoke:

"Martin, I'm afraid there is nothing I can do. The punishment for feeding on another Vampire's human was established by the Magister himself. Your child's sentence was fair and I would even say lenient. You only have yourself to blame for his misbehaviour: you should have either chosen a more compliant human to turn or you should have been a stricter Master and better taught your child our rules."

Martin snarled his displeasure but was quickly cowed when I bared my fangs.

What a pathetic creature. His case was just an example of the sharp decline in the quality of newborn Vampires. Whereas Vampires used to select their children based on criteria such as intelligence, cunning, strength and aptitude for survival, nowadays human were turned left and right because a bored Vampire had found them attractive-looking or wanted a new toy to play with. This sad situation was just a symptom of a larger disease: we, as a race, had become complacent.

Vampires had been increasingly living in plain sight among humans, and with the loss of secrecy came the loss of discipline. There was even talk of revealing ourselves to the world, although I did not believe such a development was wise or even likely.

I myself had only fathered one child, Pamela. I had selected her for her beauty, of course, but also because I had seen in her a ferocity and thirst for life that was only bettered by my own. I knew she would embrace Vampirism with gusto and would not foolishly throw away the gift of immortality through reckless behaviour, and she had not disappointed me.

Thinking of my child made me momentarily morose. Pam had become increasingly restless over the last three years and I knew it was only a matter of time before she would depart to make her own way through the world. She had expressed her desire to explore the Northern States and had even discreetly begun to form plans. When the time inevitably came I would release her in the hope that, eventually, she would willingly return to me.

Thoughts of Pam led me to think of another female whose spirit had impressed me.

It had been four days since my chance meeting with Sookie; I had been caught up in my duties and been unable to visit her again as I had wished. Tonight, however, after Martin had been dismissed, I would be free to escape _Dragon House_ for a couple of hours or so and I was looking forward to interacting once more with the feisty little telepath.

The question of how to protect her properly posed something of a conundrum. I wanted her safe and yet hidden, so I had to think very carefully about whom I would allow to know of her existence. I was considering assigning Amy to the full-time protection of the child; the Were was not a fighter but she would still be able to deal with human dangers and alert me to any Supes sniffing around the girl. Yes, this would be an agreeable solution.

Bored with Martin's histrionics, I put an end to the audience and, after informing Pam that for the next two hours she should only call me for emergencies, I flew to Adele Stackhouse's home.

On arrival, I was dismayed to find the child gone. Adele herself was seated in the drawing room, quietly reading a book, but the bedroom Sookie had shared with her brother was empty and I could not detect her scent in the shed or anywhere else on the property. I knew for a fact that her uncle Bartlett could not be responsible for her sudden disappearance, as I had dispatched the bastard myself only the night before.

I had taken my sweet time with him, torturing him lengthily by drilling holes in his flesh (I had refused to use my fangs on such a base creature), optimising the pain while meticulously avoiding any vital organs in order to draw out the ordeal as much as possible. I had also been careful to inject him with adrenaline at the start of our session to prevent him from passing out. When his supplications and screams of terror had ceased to amuse me, I had opened up his abdomen and rolled out his intestines until he had finally died. Afterwards, I had replaced his body in his car and totalled then torched the vehicle so thoroughly that the coroner's office would need his dental records to identify him.

After a minute of reflection, I remembered from the background information file that Adele's children lived nearby. Of course! I should have expected Sookie's main residence would be her parents' house. I flew to the Corbett Stackhouse home and was pleased when her now-familiar scent reached me through an open window in the dining room.

I approached carefully to see Sookie seated at a large table with her brother and mother on either side. She appeared sullen and was not joining in the table talk. When her father made his entrance in the room, carrying a tray of human food, I stood transfixed.

His smell was even more seductive than that of his daughter; it was similar to Sookie's perfume, yet more complex, and had a different base note. The scent was both exotic and familiar. I knew that smell and its name was tugging at the edge of my mind. It was…

Fairy!

Oh, yes! Now that the veil had been lifted, it was unmistakable: the luscious, enthralling essence of Fairy woven with the scent of human male… there could be no doubt: Sookie's father was a Fae/human hybrid.

_This_ was Adele's link to Fintan! She had borne his children! How could my investigators have missed this?

I also understood why I had missed Sookie's own Fairy essence: before meeting her, I had never been in presence of a Fae child and hence could not have recognised her olfactory signature for what it was.

This revelation changed everything; it was now imperative to keep all Supes (including Amy) away from the child as Fairies were extremely sought-after: they were beautiful, highly magical creatures and, to vampires, their blood was intoxicating. I was resolved more than ever to protect the girl, yet another thought began creeping into my mind… When she came of age, I decided, she would be mine.

Sookie suddenly brightened and turned her head towards me. I suspected she had sensed me thanks to her special talent. I winked when she caught my eyes and put a finger to my lips and, with a nod of understanding and a small smile, she returned to her meal.

Fourteen months later, I was seated in my office, scrolling through my e-mails. I paused at one entitled 'HAHAHAHA!' and opened it with a click.

_Three Vampires walk into a bar. _

_The first two order warm bottles of True Blood but the third one surprises the waiter by asking for a glass of hot water…_

I rolled my eyes as I trashed my child's latest asinine e-mail. Pam had left my side six months go and ever since my inbox had been 'blessed' with similar drivel on an average of twice a week. While I outwardly made a show of exasperation at her puerile antics, I had secretly come to relish her silly messages. The simple truth was that I missed my child.

Her departure had created a power vacuum in my hierarchy and I had selected Soledad as her replacement. The Argentinean Vampire had been the acting manager of _Dragon House_ for the past four years and I was pleased with her service: she was loyal, efficient and hard working. Of course, I was not unaware that her eagerness to please me was due in part to the fact that she deeply lusted after me. Regardless, I had no intention of taking her to my bed: Vampire sexual or romantic entanglements were highly dramatic affairs that usually ended in bloody tears or worse. The last Vampire I had been intimate with had been Pam, and that had been a long time ago. After a few decades of fun she had discovered her preference for the fairer sex and we began to fight over conquests (I am pleased to say that I usually won but, being a generous Master, I would often happily share).

While Soledad made an adequate and dependable second-in-command, I did not reward her with the same levels of trust and independence that Pam had enjoyed; she only knew what she must in order to do her job well, and not a thing more. It was a proven fact that the only being a Vampire could trust implicitly was his own child and, even then, only if said child had been chosen well. Soledad would never be trusted with any secret of importance, especially the very secret I had been jealously keeping under wraps for more than a year now.

Ah! Thinking of my delightful telepath always brought a smile to my lips. After dealing with paperwork and accepting the pledges of a few Vampires who had requested the right to settle in my Area, I decided that a fresh visit to my young friend was in order.

En route to Sookie's house, I reflected on the events of the past year.

I had been surprised by how much I had become attached to the child; she was entertaining, unusually perceptive and utterly frank. Her honesty, in particular, was a most charming attribute. Due to my position I was forced to deal with disingenuous and calculating people on a nightly basis and I could never take a single word that came out of their mouths at face value. Sookie's absence of any conniving tendencies and indifference to my wealth or the power I wielded was a welcome breath of fresh air.

I had only initially planned to visit her once a week (the minimum needed to confirm that she was safe and well-cared for) but I ended up making the short flight from Shreveport to Bon Temps three times more frequently as Sookie proved to be the perfect antidote to boredom and stifling bureaucratic bullshit.

I was always careful to make my travels as discreet as possible, only absenting myself for two or three hours at a time, at the most. I was also careful to always fly to my destination as it made me much harder to track. Only Pam knew of Sookie's existence and I was confident the child was safe from prying eyes.

In the 14 months we had known each other, Sookie's trust and affection for me had grown steadily. Some nights I would find her morose and tired. She did not speak of it, even when prompted, but I knew that her telepathy weighed on her. These nights, I would do my best to distract her by reciting the Great Norse Sagas to her, as I had heard them as a boy and a young man; other nights, I would speak of my expeditions and adventures. It was somewhat painful to recall my human life in such details but her fascination with the subject made it worth bearing the strain. Little by little, I was drawing her closer to my heart.

When I arrived at my destination, I found the house in disarray. A police car was parked in the driveway I could see a police officer searching around the property with a flashlight. Adele Stackhouse was also roaming around, loudly calling Sookie's name.

I felt a chill down my spine. Months earlier, I had decided that the best form of protection was to shroud Sookie's existence from the Supernatural world, which essentially meant not taking any step to involve anybody but myself (and Pam while she was there) in her protection. In truth, with her Uncle gone, the likelihood of Sookie running into any kind of trouble was slim. I had been worried for a time about her Fairy relatives, but it soon became apparent that Fintan was making no move to remove his Granddaughter from the care of her parents. I had only detected a Fairy presence around Sookie once, and it had been on Adele's property the night after I had hunted Fintan. But now, confronted with a crisis situation, I began to wonder whether I had not been too casual about her safety.

Hovering discreetly over the property, I sniffed the air in search of Sookie's scent and located her behind a bush. I swiftly joined her and was immensely relieved to find her unharmed. She was seated on the dirt floor, wearing pyjamas and cuddling the glow-worm doll I remembered from our encounter in Adele's shed. When she did not react to my sudden appearance by her side, I became concerned. She was too pale and distressed for this to be merely a case of her telepathy putting a strain on her.

"What are you doing outside, little one?" I inquired.

Sookie lifted her eyes to look at me. Her gaze was infinitely sad and remote as she said in a thin voice:

"Daddy and Mama are dead."

"What happened to them, Sookie?" I asked with urgency.

"Gran says they drowned in the river."

I was at loss as to what to say. I knew Sookie would be expecting words of compassion and commiseration, but in truth I was unmoved by the news of her parent's death. Humans died; that was what they did. There was little point in getting aggravated by this fact of life.

One of the first things all newborn Vampires learned was to become detached about the idea of death. We were allowed to grieve once, for our lost human lives, for our families; and then, never again. The Vampires who did not learn that lesson soon met the sun. Allowing one's self to be weighed down by decades of loss was suicidal.

Instead of pronouncing platitudes without conviction, I delicately took hold of one her thin ankles, lightly rubbing her skin in a slow circular motion. I had hoped to convey comfort through the gesture. A single tear escaped from Sookie's eye and I wiped it with my thumb before licking off the moisture.

Sookie shot upright and launched herself into my arms. Over the months I had come to relish physical contact with the child, so I readily returned her embrace. When she was settled against my chest, she began to weep in earnest.

"It pains me to see you hurting, little one," I said while caressing her back.

After a few minutes, she calmed down and I broke off our embrace.

"Your Grandmother is very worried Sookie; you must return to her now."

Sookie nodded.

"Won't you stay a bit longer?" she asked, while wiping her face with the back of her hands.

"I will be near, little one. If you are still awake later tonight I will come to you."

One hour later, Adele had settled Sookie in her bed. The boy had elected to sleep with his Grandmother, which left me free to come to the girl. I knocked on her window and she immediately shot out of her bed to open it for me; she had obviously been waiting for my return. Her eyes were bloodshot and it was plain that she was not feeling any better. Deciding that, as when dealing with her telepathy, distraction was the best cure, I offered:

"Do you want to see the world from above, little one?"

She looked at me curiously.

"Do you mean fly?"

"Indeed, little one," I answered, extending a hand.

Sookie briefly hesitated before taking it. I lifted her into my arms and allowed her to settle in a comfortable position. Her eyes widened and she gasped when I rose through the air, safely cradling her against my chest. She shrieked when she looked down to see that we were dozens of feet above the ground. I waited for her heartbeat to even out before increasing my speed, gliding gracefully above the trees and circling around Bon Temps. Sookie was gazing at the panorama with wonderment in her eyes. I did a few somersaults and loops in the air, reveling in the child's open delight and shrieks of happiness. Finally, I landed us on the sturdy branch of an old tree near her home. I let her sit next to me, one of my arms wrapped across her body.

A comfortable silence stretched between us while we listened to the sounds of the night. Sookie was the one to break the quiet.

"What are you?" She inquired.

Her question took me by surprise; in all the time we had known each other, she had never asked. I turned to look at her and said in a calm voice:

"I am Vampire."

Slowly, as to not alarm her, I parted my lips and dropped my fangs. After a few moments I clicked them back and waited for her reaction.

Her reception was far more muted than I had anticipated. Her heartbeat became elevated and I could smell her adrenaline but she displayed no outward signs of fear and, when she spoke, her voice was steady:

"Are you Dracula?"

"I have never had the honour of meeting this great man. He is quite a legend among my kind… But no, I am not he. I am merely like him."

"You drink blood?"

"Yes, little one. I must in order to survive."

"Are you gonna drink my blood?"

"No, Sookie; I will not hurt you."

She was silent for a while before resuming her interrogation:

"Are you gonna live forever?"

"If I'm careful enough, and clever enough, I might see the End of Time."

Sookie frowned.

"Won't you get bored?"

"Boredom is a fact of my undead life. One cannot contemplate immortality without first accepting monotony. Years pass, centuries pass, kingdoms fall, empires rise… everything changes yet I stay the same."

I was afraid I was losing her with my ramblings so I tried to find a more suitable analogy:

"It is comparable to spending one's lifetime in front of a TV set. Sometimes an interesting program will come up but it usually gets tedious pretty fast. Do you understand?"

"Oh, yeah! I don't really like TV. I prefer books, they're more fun."

I smiled appreciatively.

"The invention of the printing press has been the greatest human innovation of all time. Well, that and modern plumbing. My books have kept me company during the centuries and have alleviated some of my loneliness. In fact, my most prized possessions are my first editions of classic European literature… and my sword."

"You have a sword?" Sookie looked deeply impressed by that fact.

"Yes, little one. I was a great warrior as a human, and I dare say not much has changed since I became Vampire. I am famous on both sides of the ocean for my fighting skills."

Sookie was awed.

"Will you show me one day?"

"I will teach you how to fight if you wish."

"Really?" Sookie squealed excitedly. "Even though I'm a girl?"

I scoffed at her remark.

"A woman of the right temperament makes as formidable a combatant as any man. When I was human, I would go raiding and warring with female warriors, some of whom earned positions of command through their skills and cunning. They were lethal and much celebrated within my people. I would not have dared cross any of these fearsome Valkyries."

"I like the Valkyries," she observed. She was now very familiar with Norse mythology and folklore thanks to my reciting of the Sagas.

"Eric, do you think my parents are in Valhalla?"

"I think that, wherever they are, they are at peace."

Sookie nodded and huddled closer to me.

"Do you have a family, Eric?"

"I have a child, Pamela."

"You're a _dad_?" she exclaimed.

"Not exactly," I chuckled. "Vampires cannot have babies. But I have made another Vampire."

"How?"

"I will tell you another day," I answered evasively.

"Will I meet her?" she enquired.

"Not for a while, little one. My child has gone away and I do not know when she will return."

"Then tell me again about how Odin discovered the Runes."

I set out to recite an abridged version of the _Rúnatal_, a rather gory Saga that had become one of her favourites.

It was somewhat odd to have such a deep conversation with a mere 7-year-old but I knew Sookie was faking neither her interest nor her understanding. She was wise beyond her years and, in a way, already world-weary due to the quirk of her mind. The very fact that she had so recently experienced true loss for the first time made her better disposed than ever to appreciate the gravity of the poem.

As I was finishing the last lines, light rain had started to pour and I knew it was time to return Sookie to her bed.

"Do you want to go flying again?" I asked.

"Oh, yes! Please!"

I treated Sookie to a few more aerial acrobatics before heading back to her home.

I settled her on the floor of her room then hovered outside the window. When she extended her arms, for what I assumed would be yet another hug, I lowered myself so we were at eye level. Instead of the expected embrace, she lightly cupped the sides of my face with her small hands and pressed a kiss on my lips.

Her lips were still chilled from the flight and moist from the rain, and while enjoying the sensation of her skin against mine, I registered an odd feeling humming in my chest. I paused to examine the new impression and was stunned to identify… tenderness?

As I came to this realisation, Sookie let go of my face and said soberly:

"Thank you, Eric."

And with that, she closed the window and turned to her bed, leaving me feeling more human than I had in many centuries.

Two nights later, I was lazily browsing through the police reports covering the activities in all the precincts in my Area. I made it my business to keep abreast of the criminal activities the humans dealt with; it was another way to detect potential crimes committed by rogue Supes before the situation spiralled out of my control. My attention was drawn by a report from the Bon Temps sheriff's department.

This particular report was about the disappearance in broad daylight of a young girl, which had been reported the previous day by her guardian.

The girl's name was Sookie Stackhouse.

* * *

**A/N**: Thank you for reading. Next chapter **An Education** should be up by next Sunday.


	5. An Education

**A/N**: I cannot begin to tell you how overwhelmed I have been by the response to the last chapter (my best reviewed yet). Thank you all so much, especially the people who took the time to post a review.

I have done my best to answer all reviews but the FF notification system is still wonky so if I've overlooked you, I apologize. Know that I read and cherish all reviews.

This chapter is my longest yet as it was originally supposed to be two distinct chapters until I decided to merge them.

My kick-a$$ Beta **All About Eric** requested a SPOV so I added that as well. I hadn't planned on doing one while she was still a child but I hope you'll enjoy it.

Lastly, there are a few of things I'll ask you to keep in mind:

1. The SPOV is a slight flashback as the action occurs two days before the end of the last chapter.

2. As in chapter 3, I used the convention: '1 week in Faerun = 1 day in the human world'. Unless stated otherwise, Niall speaks in terms of Fae time.

3. Temporary blood bonds (the ones formed after ingesting a Vampire's blood) are referred to as 'bonds'. Permanent blood bonds (three mutual exchanges) will be called 'Bonds' with a capital B.

And now onto the story!

Song for this chapter: _Superstition_ by Stevie Wonder

**Chapter 5 – AN EDUCATION**

**SPOV**

"28… 29… 30… 45… 68… **100**! Ready or not little sis', I'm coming!"

Ugh! Jason was such a cheat! He always thought I would not catch him messing with the numbers, as if my ears were the _only_ way I could hear him. Well, if he wasn't gonna play fair, neither was I: I was gonna keep track of him with my mind and let him chase his tail for a while.

I didn't mind staying in the woods for a bit; it was really warm today and the trees were good protection against the sun. I liked the forest a lot, it was like I had a special connection to it: anytime I felt a bit tired or upset, I only had to step into the woods to feel at peace at once. I guess the fact that my company there was mostly wild animals helped a lot! I couldn't 'hear' animals, thank baby Jesus for that! I really didn't need to know what squirrels were thinking about on top of everything!

I could 'hear' Jason looking for me in the shed. Why he always checked there first, I didn't know. That was such an obvious hiding place that I would be dumb to ever use it. Well, I guess he thought I was as smart as him since half the time he would choose to hide there during our 'Hide and Seek' sessions. His other hiding place was under his bed in his room, where he had stacked some food so he could wait me out comfortably. Yep, I loved my brother but he really wasn't too bright.

I was looking at some mushrooms on the ground when I noticed something strange. Behind me there was some kind of odd presence, as if a stream of water had just appeared out of nowhere.

I flipped around and jumped a little in surprise when I saw a man leaning against a tree trunk, a short distance away from me. He had long dark hair and eyes the color of caramel and he was very tall (though not as tall as Eric). I watched him for a bit, waiting to see if he was gonna speak but he just watched back, without ever moving. Then it struck me that I couldn't 'hear' him. Normally, people's thoughts hit me like a ton of bricks and I have to concentrate really hard on something else to shut them out, but with him, I got nothing at all. At first I thought he might be a Vampire but then I remembered they couldn't go out during the day. Beside, his mind didn't feel like a bubble at all. I tried to focus on him to get a better feel and I realized his brain _was_ the stream of water I'd noticed. That was super weird! I'd never felt anything like that ever.

Without thinking, I asked:

"What are you?"

That got a reaction. The man stood up straighter and looked at me with curiosity.

"You can tell I'm different? How?"

I knew I couldn't tell him about my curse (Eric had been very clear that I had to keep it a secret, and he didn't like it at all when I called it a curse but hey, he wasn't here to listen to my mind, wasn't he?). Instead, I replied:

"You're a strange man standing about in the woods. That's pretty odd don't you think?" Then a thought hit me. "You're not like… a bad man or anything?"

I knew he wasn't gonna tell me if he had bad intentions, of course, but I wasn't too afraid; I could run pretty fast and I could scream the house down when I wanted. Beside, I knew Eric would punish him if he tried to hurt me.

The man smiled and took a few steps towards me.

"I'm Preston Pardloe," he said.

I stayed quiet, remembering Gran's advice not to give any personal information to strangers and, after a pause, Preston went on:

"You're Sookie." That didn't sound like a question.

"How d'you know my name?"

"I know a great deal about you, Sookie. I know that you live with your Grandmother and your brother in the house over there, I know that you've recently lost both your parents and I know that you're a telepath."

My eyes widened when I heard him say the last bit. How did he know that? There were a few people who knew about my curse (Gran and Jas and Eric, mostly) and some others who suspected (or just thought I was nuts), but all those were people I knew, and I'd never met Preston before. When I didn't say anything, he carried on:

"I'm sorry, by the way. About your parents."

Thinking about Mama and Daddy still stung a bit but, strangely, I didn't feel too upset. The talk I'd had with Eric the night before had helped a lot; I believed him when he said Mama and Daddy were at peace wherever they'd gone.

"So you know stuff about me, obviously, even though I don't know how; but I know nothing about you. That's not really fair isn't it?" I was fishing for information and it looked like he knew it.

"I'm a Fairy," he said with a smile.

A _what_? I said the first thing that crossed my mind.

"Where are your wings, then?"

"Fairies don't have wings, Sookie. We're nothing like the fairytale version. Except for the beauty part: we're all very beautiful."

He was completely serious when he said that and I wasn't too impressed with his vanity. But I had no time to let him know that because he spoke again.

"You're a Fairy too."

Eh? What did he mean? I think I would know if I was some kind of magical creature! I guess he could see the disbelief on my face because he added:

"You're the great-granddaughter of Prince Niall, who is the most powerful Fairy in all Faerun - that's what we call our kingdom, by the way - and he has sent me to bring you to him. You see, you're a very special girl, Sookie…"

"Hey! Wait a minute, mister," I interrupted. "I'm not going _anywhere_ with you!"

Preston looked surprised by my outburst.

"What do you mean? Don't you want to meet a Fairy Prince? A real one, not a make-believe one? I thought all human children dreamed of it."

"Well, I'm not like most children. Beside, I've already met a Fairy if what you say is true. What so special about Fairies anyway? You obviously don't have wings or anything cool like that, so what can you do? And before you say it, being pretty doesn't count as a special power."

Preston smirked. I really hated it when he did that.

"You're spirited. I like it; but you will have to watch yourself in front of Prince Niall," he remarked.

"But I don't want to meet this Niall guy!" I retorted.

On the edge of my mind, I could 'hear' Jason thinking about how good Gran's apple pie tasted. I rolled my eyes; he had obviously given up on trying to find me and had gone back to his favorite place in the whole world: the kitchen. Jason had been thinking about food a lot more than usual since yesterday. I guess it was a good thing because whenever he thought about Mama and Daddy, he would cry.

"Well, it was real nice to meet you, mister, but I have to get going or my Gran will start to worry."

"Sookie, wait! I don't understand, don't you want to leave here?"

"Why would I want that?" I asked, puzzled.

Preston shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, since your parents are dead, you don't really have anything keeping you here. Beside, the Prince is your family and wants to protect you."

Now I was getting real angry. Just who did he think he was?

"I already _have_ a family, mister. My Gran's taking real good care of me. And I don't need any protection, I already have a very scary friend who takes care of bad guys who want to hurt me," I replied with a smirk.

Preston nodded.

"The Vampire," he declared. Again, it didn't sound like a question.

I was starting to get scared. This man knew way too much and he obviously had weird plans for me.

"Eric would never hurt me," I snapped, "and I have to go. 'Bye now."

I turned to leave but I felt Preston's hand on my harm, restraining me.

"Sookie! You have to go with me," he insisted.

"Let go of me!" I cried. "I'm gonna scream if you don't! GRAAN..."

Preston looked panicked when I started yelling and I suddenly felt like I was being stuffed with cotton balls. The air started to blur around me and I fainted.

When I came round, the first thing I heard were words being spoken in an odd language. I opened my eyes to find a beautiful lady bent over me. She was blonde and blue-eyed and looked like an angel.

"Am I in heaven?" I asked drowsily.

"Well, that's a matter of opinion, really," she answered with a bright smile. "But I think you will come to see this place as a paradise of sorts. I am Catriona. Welcome to Faerun."

I shot up at her words and looked around me. I was sitting on a large bed that felt like it was made of clouds. The room around me looked like it was straight from Cinderella's castle; there wasn't much furniture but what was there looked really expensive, the walls were pale blue and were decorated with gorgeous paintings showing oddly-colored landscapes. I noticed that the flowers on the bed table were pretty weird too: they looked like those swirly candies I always got for my birthday, the ones with multicolored streaks of sugar.

Then I noticed a man with long, pale hair seated in a corner of the room. Like Preston and Catriona, his mind was like running water, so I guessed he too was a Fairy. I could tell at once there was something really special about him. I didn't know how to explain it but just by looking at him I knew he was a really important person. When our eyes met, he stood up and walked up to the bed.

"I'm happy to see you are feeling better, Sookie. You gave us quite a scare," he said with a smile. "I am Niall, but you may call me great-grandfather."

My heart was beating like a drum inside my chest. _Oh, no! What I'd gotten myself into?_ When I could speak, I was surprised by how thin my own voice sounded.

"Err, hello… great-grandfather. Very nice to meet y'all." I turned my head to include Catriona in the statement. "I was wondering if you knew what time it is? I don't know how long I've been out and I'm worried Gran will get worked up if I don't show up soon."

Niall kept on smiling but I noticed his smile didn't reach his eyes anymore. I shuddered unintentionally; something told me he wasn't the kind of person you would want to be on the bad side of.

"This is your home now, Sookie. You need not worry about your grandmother or anybody from your former life. You are safe now and you will be well cared for." He gestured around, as if saying that I should be grateful to stay in such a pretty room.

I turned Catriona with pleading eyes, but she looked down.

I knew in that instant that I was trapped in this odd world, and that I might never see my family or Eric again.

That's when I started crying and crying, until there were no more tears left in my body.

**Niall POV**

The war conclave I had called in my quarters was coming to a close. My elder son, Dillon, had confirmed what I already suspected: Fintan's son Corbett and his wife had been murdered by water Faeries loyal to Breandan. I suspected this act of war to be a retaliation for the disappearance of Dermot; but then again, who knew if those fanatics really needed any reason at all to slay half-breeds?

My officers were quietly waiting for me to issue an order. I knew full well that I was expected to retaliate but I was wary of an escalation. No, for the moment, my factions would lie low and concentrate on securing our people and positions, rather than engaging the enemy. My strategy called for finesse and stealth; I would allow Breandan to believe he had the advantage and strike when he least expected it.

After I had issued my edict and called an end to the session, the room cleared, with the exception of Dillon, who stayed behind. I already knew what was on my son's mind as Faerun had been buzzing with rumors of Sookie's arrival in our midst. Only a select number of people knew her exact whereabouts and even fewer had actually laid eyes on her. Without turning to face him, I declared:

"Yes, my son; the rumors are true. Fintan's granddaughter has been brought to the Palace."

Dillon took a sharp intake of breath.

"Father, why?" he asked.

I turned around and silently levelled a stare at him. He had the good sense to avert his eyes and bow his head in submission.

"Forgive me, Father. I did not mean to question you."

I sighed as I looked at my son. I had not been the best of fathers to him, never having bothered to hide my preference for Fintan, and yet, where Fintan had grown resentful and bitter, Dillon had remained faultlessly loyal. He eternally sought my approval and my love, even though I seldom rewarded him with either. Today, I decided, I would recompense his services with my trust, and confide in him.

"Come here, my son," I demanded, indicating a banquette adjacent to the wall. We both sat down and he waited eagerly for an explanation.

"Dillon, I know I have not been straightforward with you in the past. I have kept my plans close to my chest and you have resented my remoteness." This was not a question.

Dillon said nothing but I could read the truth of my words in his eyes.

"Of all my sons, you have been the least loved and yet the most faithful. It is time I saw your true value and began treating you like the second-in-command you have long deserved to be."

Dillon's eyes misted as he listened to me. He stood up when I did and I placed a hand on his back and guided him out of the door.

"Follow me, my son."

We walked silently through the Palace's corridors until we reached a deserted antechamber. There, Dillon watched expectantly as I pushed on a discreet lever against a wall to reveal a concealed door. We walked down a secret passageway until there were no more stairs and the fresh smell of Eucalyptus filled the air. I turned to Dillon to see the stupefaction in his eyes. We were standing in the mist of an underground garden filled with vegetation from the human realm. The high ceiling of the large cellar was painted in a realistic blue-sky pattern and in the middle of a large patch of grass stood a wooden dacha.

"Come, Dillon, and meet my great-granddaughter," I said, waving him towards the house.

I climbed the small front steps, knocked on the door and waited for an answer. After a few seconds, the door swung open and I was met by the confused stare of my beautiful granddaughter, Claudine.

"Grandfather? What…" her speech faltered as she noticed Dillon standing behind me.

"Father?" she gasped. She looked back and forth between Dillon and I until I nodded reassuringly.

"Do not fret, dear; I have come to visit my kin. I trust all is well?"

Claudine lowered her gaze and blushed slightly. I knew all too well what her silence meant. Sookie's retrieval from the human realm and subsequent settling within the Palace had been endlessly problematic.

Preston, the scout I had sent to approach the girl and offer her sanctuary in Faerun, had been met by a stubborn and recalcitrant Sookie. Strangely, the child had not been particularly shocked or bothered by the revelation that Fairies existed and that she was a part-breed herself (although the fact that she had been in close contact with a Vampire for more than a human year might have made her somewhat blasé). However, when the conversation had turned to Faerun, the girl had shut down and obstinately refused to consider a life in our realm. I had been extremely surprised by her refusal as I had expected her to jump at the chance to get away from her old life after the loss of her parents only a few days before.

Fintan's son's death, while in no way my doing, had been an unexpected side-benefit of Breandan's madness. For many years, since the revelation of Sookie's existence, I had attempted to find a way to pry her away from Bon Temps. At first, I had refused to consider the option of outright kidnapping: I wanted Sookie to come to me willingly and to see me as an ally and protector. The problem was that she had many emotional attachments in the human realm: her parents, a brother and a grandmother who was especially doting, and the issue was compounded by the presence of the Viking in her life. I had often come back to Bon Temps to observe their interaction from a distance, always careful to mask my scent as to not rouse his suspicions. It was now obvious that the Viking knew of Sookie's telepathy and was attempting to bind her to himself for his own benefit.

As tempting as it was to simply take her away, I knew I had to act carefully if I did not wish to alienate the child. I had even attempted to infiltrate her dreams but without much success. The years passed (months in the human realm) and I patiently waited for a game-changer.

My luck finally changed when I received the news of Sookie's parents' death. Quickly I arranged for an emergency extraction, sure as I was that Sookie would now be better disposed to seek my protection. The cellar had been outfitted years before and was meant to facilitate her transition between the two worlds; Claudine was briefed and sworn to secrecy: she would be Sookie's tutor and governess; Preston was tasked with the removal as I had hoped that his friendly demeanour would reassure the girl; beside, he was a rare Fairy shape-shifter and could evade detection if needed. Alas, his first contact with the girl had gone so poorly that he'd had no choice but to seize her and teleport to a secure portal before his window of opportunity closed.

I had counted on Sookie being too bereaved to put up too much of a fight and had already planned to blame the death of her parents on the Viking in order to sever the emotional ties between them, but when Sookie had been finally delivered I realised the extent of my miscalculations.

Instead of being glad to meet new family to make up for those she had lost, the child went into hysterics. She rejected explanations that she had been brought to Faerun for her own safety after the Viking had murdered her parents with vehement protestations. The Viking, she claimed, was her friend and would never hurt her or hers. My own attempts to soothe the girl had been met with more tears and only Claudine had managed to get her to calm down. She was the only new face that Sookie had accepted and that was the only reason I had kept her by the child's side despite the obvious disapproval she felt regarding my methods.

Twice already, she had come to me pleading with me to return the child to the human realm. Sookie, she said, was miserable and hardly ate or slept. The trauma of losing her parents had left her emotionally vulnerable and it seemed the only comfort she had found had been in the arms of her grandmother… and of the Viking.

I was angered with myself for having allowed the relationship between Sookie and the Vampire to grow as it had. I would have been better off simply abducting the child from the start and hoping for her growing acceptance of her new home.

No matter, what was done was done and I was now focusing on the future. Earning Sookie's loyalty would prove more complicated than anticipated but she would come round in the end. Already, she was building ties with Claudine. Soon, she would forget about her human life; her loyalties would shift; her previous affections would dry up.

After the nightmarish first few days, Sookie's mood had brightened up when Claudine had begun tutoring her in the dacha. The curriculum of what Sookie was now calling 'Supes School' included lessons on all Supernatural creatures, Fae history and classes on the different Fairies' races and their powers. Claudine would report on the child's progress daily and I was pleased to learn that Sookie had proven to be extremely bright and eager to learn.

It had now been two weeks since Sookie's arrival in Faerun and today was the first time since our initial meeting that I directly sought her company. I had given the girl time and space, but it was now time for a proper family reunion. I gave Claudine a stern look and said:

"Please announce my presence and that of Dillon to Sookie. We will be waiting for her on the bench next to the fish pond."

Claudine nodded reluctantly and closed the door. Dillon silently followed my lead and sat on the wooden bench next to me. I was grateful for my son's discretion, as my mood had been soured by Claudine's attitude.

After five minutes of waiting, the door of the dacha opened and a tiny blonde girl scurried down the stairs. She was wearing a lovely white and blue gingham dress and an Alice band around her loose hair. I was taken by her loveliness and nimbleness: Sookie was truly Fae. Claudine hovered behind as the girl took a few steps towards me and, her eyes never leaving the floor, curtsied gracefully.

"Good morning, Sire," she said in a clear voice.

I was delighted that Claudine, despite her misgivings, had at least taught Sookie the proper protocol.

"Come near, my child," I beckoned.

Sookie raised her eyes to meet mine for the first time. She briefly glanced at Dillon before returning her full attention to me. When she was close enough, I scooped her up and sat her down across my knees.

"How are you today my child?"

Sookie turned to glance at Claudine who gave her an imperceptible nod.

"I am better, Sire," she said.

"I am glad to hear that. I want you to feel welcome in this Palace and in this realm. We are your family and we love you and only wish to protect you."

Sookie's face gave no hint of her true feelings but she did not avert her gaze.

"This is my son, and your great-uncle, Dillon," I continued, gesturing towards my son.

Sookie bobbed her head and said:

"Hello, mister."

Dillon was staring at the child with an unreadable expression of his face and it was only when I cleared my throat that he snapped out of whatever thoughts he was lost in.

"Hello, Sookie," he quickly responded, "I am very pleased to meet you."

I took the child's chin in my hands and demanded she told me all about how she filled her days. Sookie proceeded to recount all that she had learned in 'Supes School'. It was clear she was animated by a genuine intellectual curiosity as her eyes brightened as she spoke of Demons, Elves, Shifters and all the other magical creatures. I was displeased to discern the strong note of scepticism in her voice when the conversation turned to Vampires and how they were the Fae's natural enemies. Still, her attitude had vastly improved: she was no longer hostile and her demeanour was respectful. Claudine had done well. When she was done talking, I spoke:

"I am very pleased with your progress, Sookie and I think it is time for you to be officially introduced to Faerun. Tomorrow, Claudine will move you to your new rooms on the first floor of the Palace. You will have access to a much larger garden and will meet other young Fairies to play and make friends with. Does this please you, child?"

Sookie once again glanced at Claudine before responding meekly:

"Thank you, Sire. I'm grateful for all you've done for me, but..." she hesitated and I waved to her to proceed. "I really miss my Gran and Jason too and…" she stopped herself, even though I had already guessed the next name on that list, "I'm just wondering when I'll see them again, is all." Her stare was imploring now.

Ignoring her query, I put her down and commanded:

"Leave us now, child; I have things I need to discuss with my son."

Sookie curtsied once more before running back to towards the house and into Claudine's open arms. After they were both back inside, I turned to Dillon.

"What do you think?"

He eyed me carefully before answering:

"I know not what to think, Father. All this is troubling me. I do not understand what is so special about this child that she would be worth all the risks and trouble she is creating."

"Sookie holds within herself the future of all Fae," I stated.

"What can you mean Father?"

I set myself to explain all about Sookie's gifts and heritage and my own theories about selective crossbreeding. When I was finished, Dillon was silent for a couple of minutes before asking:

"Who do you plan on mating her with, Father?"

I grinned with satisfaction. My son had readily accepted my views and was asking relevant questions.

"I have not decided yet. Maybe she could be used to broker a truce with Breandan's general, Damhnaic. I know that he has long attempted to father a child without any success. I believe he could be persuaded to join our side if I could guarantee him a son by Sookie, as his wish to have descendants might outweigh his pure-blood obsession. But it is still early days, Sookie is not yet fertile and no peace can be achieved while Breandan is still alive."

Without missing a beat, Dillon exclaimed:

"Are you planning on having Breandan killed, Father?"

"Let's not mince words, son; I'm planning on having him assassinated. Open war would simply be too costly in resources and manpower. I cannot wait to confront him on open ground; he needs to be neutralised before he brings forth devastation in our realm. This status quo has been going on for almost two centuries now, and I believe it could go on for many more, but, eventually, it will come to blows… unless someone intervenes." Here, I gave my son a pointed look. Dillon's eyes widened.

"Do you mean for me to be Breandan's assassin, Father?"

"There are few Fairies I can completely trust, and Breandan is too well protected for a direct attack. I believe infiltration is the only option, and that would make you a perfect candidate. Dermot has already betrayed me and Fintan is estranged; it would not take much to convince Breandan that you have turned your back on me as well."

"But Father, my devotion to you is well known, it would never work."

"What if you had recently learned some disturbing truths about me; like, let's say, the fact that I am responsible for Dermot's death."

Dillon stared at me for a few seconds, his face impassive.

"So the whispers are true... I am glad the traitor is no more!"

"Well, Breandan doesn't need to know that. You could pretend to be disgruntled by the death of your sibling. You could also purport to join Breandan's ranks in the hope that my death would leave you free to pursue Catriona."

Dillon's eyes widened in surprise at my last statement. I smiled shrewdly.

"Oh, yes, my son; I do know about your infatuation with her. There is little that escapes me, you should know that."

"Father, I…"

"Say no more! I am not upset with you. In fact, if you were to accept the mission your reward upon completion would be Catriona's hand."

"But Father! She does not love me, I do know that," Dillon responded, dejected. I dismissed his concerns with a wave of my hand.

"Catriona will do as I say. Beside, many an arranged marriage grows to become a real love match. I am certain that, in time, she would come to love you as you love her."

I looked into my son's hopeful eyes and waited as he reached a decision. When he spoke, his voice was steady.

"Father, I accept the mission. I will infiltrate Breandan's camp and end him."

"You do realise that it will be an extremely dangerous assignment, and that it will take many decades to gain enough of Breandan's trust to be admitted within his inner circle? He will not hesitate to have you killed if he suspects your true intentions."

Dillon looked resolute.

"I know that, Father, but I accept the risks. I have waited all my life for you to trust and rely on me and today my prayers have been answered. I will serve you loyally and, maybe, I will get to return to a wife and a Faerun at peace."

I rewarded my son's impassioned speech with a smile and a kiss on his forehead.

"You do me proud, my son," I declared.

That evening, after pondering on the day's events, I decided against my initial plan to move Sookie to the first floor of the Palace. Evidently, the child was still deeply attached to her human life, and I feared that introducing her to the Court was premature. I needed to ensure that her loyalties were unequivocally bound to Faerun before showing her off.

No, the most sensible approach would be to ease her progressively into her new life. For that purpose, Sookie would instead be transported to my secret retreat at the edge of the Red Tree Forest. There she would be safe, as the cottage's location was known only by a handful of members of my inner circle and its grounds were protected by powerful enchantments. Sookie would at last be able to experience Faerun in all its glory. I was certain that, thus fully exposed to the enchanting beauty of her new land, her heart would grow less melancholy. It did not hurt that the forest was home to a blessing of unicorns, and I knew it was inevitable that the child would find herself fascinated by the creatures. In addition, the groundskeeper and his wife - who served as housekeeper and cook - had a young son who would serve as a suitable playmate for Sookie.

Pleased with my decision, I made the necessary arrangements to have Sookie and Claudine escorted to their new lodgings at first light, in the utmost secrecy.

_**Four-and-a-half months later**_

As, I was reading in my study when my secretary informed me that Catriona was requesting an audience. I ordered that she be escorted in and was surprised by the gravity of her expression.

"What is on your mind my dearest," I asked without preamble.

"I come to talk about Sookie, Niall."

"Sookie?" I exclaimed. "Has Claudine sent you to try and persuade me to return her to the human realm?" I inquired.

Sookie had been settled in my cottage for several months now and seemed to be growing gradually happier. However, her acclimatisation to Faerun was taking longer that I had anticipated: she remained skittish around me whenever I visited her, and Claudine kept on pleading with me to return her to the life she insisted the child still missed terribly.

"That's not it, Niall. An incident has occurred today at the cottage and I had to get involved."

"An incident? What are you talking about? Why wasn't I informed immediately?" I cried, incensed.

"Claudine feared your wrath, Niall. She does not want you to withdraw Sookie from her care, which is why she came to me first. Please let me explain."

Bringing my temper under control, I waved a hand.

"Speak."

Catriona took a deep breath.

"Sookie cast a spell this morning: she set fire to the page of a book during a lesson. I do not think she even realised what she was doing; I believe it was a purely emotional response."

I sat up in my seat. I had expected Sookie to develop new powers with time, but such an early manifestation was unexpected.

"But that is wonderful! Sookie's powers are developing even earlier than anticipated."

"No Niall, it is a terrible thing indeed."

I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"Explain."

"Sookie isn't supposed to be able to cast spells."

"Why not? She is a witch, her telepathy is proof of that."

"Sookie is indeed descended from a witch and possesses at least one witchy attribute, but she is not a natural witch. Her situation is comparable to the case of part-Fae who do not develop the spark yet display some Fae attributes, such as great charisma."

"But Sookie possesses the spark."

"Yes, the _Fae_ spark, which is currently dormant until she reaches maturity. When it comes to the human side of her, the witchcraft has expressed itself through her telepathy. She isn't supposed to be able to spell and use Forbidden Magic like natural witches, such as myself. Her body cannot handle it."

"What do you mean by that?"

Catriona took another breath before continuing:

"Moments after casting the spell, Sookie collapsed."

I shot up from my seat and crossed the distance to where Catriona was standing.

"What are you saying," I cried, grabbing her arms, "what has happened to Sookie? Where is she?"

"Please, Niall, listen to me, " Catriona pleaded, " Sookie is fine. Claudine called me immediately and I have already healed the girl. She's resting in the dacha for now. She's fine."

I let go of Catriona and glowered at her.

"You are never to keep anything like that from me again," I said sternly. "I want to see Sookie now."

"Wait, Niall. There is more."

I raised an eyebrow and waited for her to proceed.

"I have fully examined Sookie and I believe I know what happened to her. It is because of Faerun, Niall; Faerun is awakening her witchcraft in a way that wasn't ever meant to be. You see, this place is highly magical; every breath she takes, every meal she eats, ever step she takes on the soil infuses her with magic and it is reacting with a deeply buried part of herself. It is not a development that was ever supposed to occur and her body is simply not built to channel such magic."

"What exactly are you saying, Catriona?"

"If Sookie remains in Faerun, the witchcraft latent in her will grow and consume her."

I was stunned into silence. It could not be! All my plans reduced to tatters. If Sookie could not survive in Faerun, she was useless to me.

"Will it be always so? Will she be forever unable to live in Faerun?" I demanded.

"I do not believe so. When she has matured and her Fae spark is fully expressed, I believe it will be safe for her to return. By then her Fae Magic should be powerful enough to dominate and stabilize her witchcraft."

"Will she be able to procreate with Fairies? And would her children be healthy and able to thrive in Faerun?"

"I have no reason to believe differently, especially if she is mated with full-Fairies."

"So you are advising that I return Sookie to her human family?"

"It would be for the best, Niall. I could always heal her every time she has an episode, but her young body can only take so much trauma."

I silently pondered on the new pieces of information.

"Thank you, Catriona. I have to reflect on the turn of events. I will keep you informed of my decision," I declared, dismissing her.

As it turned out, the decision was made for me when, the next morning, Fintan came crashing through the Palace and stormed my office (I would have to teach my son that there were more civilized ways to call on his own father). I had been expecting his visit as I knew word regarding the whereabouts of his grand-daughter would eventually reach him, wherever he was in the human world. He had to be restrained from assaulting me and it took the intervention of Catriona herself to calm him down with a spell. I was shocked by Fintan's outburst: I had expected him to be furious when he learned of Sookie's fate, but he had never been prone to violence. Catriona informed me that his newfound aggressiveness might in part be a side-effect from the Spirit Transference ceremony. I would have to keep a closer eye on my son from now on, in case his mental health degraded.

When he was self-possessed enough to have a rational conversation with, I granted him an audience. Unsurprisingly, he demanded Sookie's immediate release and my formal pledge that I would never again attempt to pry her away from her human home.

I had already decided by then that Sookie could not remain in Faerun but I was reluctant to make the real reasons public, as it would undermine my master plan. Fintan was providing me with the perfect exit strategy: instead of having to admit any issue pertaining to Sookie's ability to survive in Faerun, I would pretend that I had been moved by my son's plea and had released the girl in a bid to mend our relationship.

Fintan himself did not fully buy my act but was placated when I vowed to allow Sookie to live her human life in full, without any interference. I also formally assigned Claudine as Sookie's Fairy Godmother, for extra protection.

In truth I was not particularly worried about the girl's safety. Only Fintan, Preston and I (and now Claudine) knew the location of Sookie's human home. They all had a vested interest in keeping her safe or were unfailingly loyal to me and her spark was too underdeveloped to be used as a way to track her. I was now certain that the Water Fairies who had murdered her parents had not known of her existence or her ties to me, only making an opportunistic kill. Lastly, I knew the Viking would keep her protected for as long as needed.

A few hours later Sookie, accompanied by Fintan and Claudine, departed Faerun.

**EPOV**

Three weeks: this was the amount of time Sookie had been missing.

As I rose for the evening, this figure was the first thing on my mind.

The disappearance of the young telepath had been haunting my every waking hour ever since I had first read the police report. I had been disbelieving at first and had flown straight to Bon Temps to disprove that absurd report. Alas, once there, I had only been met by the sight of a distraught Adele and the irrefutable fact that Sookie was indeed missing.

Glamouring the police officers tasked with the case had brought no usable information. I had not dared approach Adele, but the close watch I had kept on her house that night taught me she was as clueless as the law enforcement forces when it came to Sookie's whereabouts. As I could not detect any residual smell of the perpetrators, I had summoned Amy, the were-bitch tracker. Her findings had confirmed my worst fears: the scent was extremely faint but there could be no doubt, a Fairy had abducted Sookie. This was the worst case scenario: humans I would have hunted down in no time, Weres would have swiftly met the edge of my blade, Vampires would have been trickier to deal with but I am older and stronger than most; Fairies, however, left me powerless. No Vampire could gain access to Faerun and for this reason alone I was certain Sookie was being held there (if she still lived, that is).

For the first couple of nights after Sookie had vanished, I had lost myself in impotent rage; I was furious with the Fae but most of all I was furious with myself. I had been too careless about Sookie's security; I had worried more about keeping Sookie to myself than providing her with adequate protection. I cursed my foolishness for believing that the child was safe from her Fairy relatives. I should never have forgotten that Fairies could be as patient and as opportunistic as the wisest Vampire. Once my anger had subsided, I had replaced it with focus and determination: while I could not outright launch an open search for her, I would not give up on the child without a fight.

Over the last three weeks, favours had been called in, networks had been put to good use. The word was out that Eric Northman was promising a handsome reward for valuable intel pertaining to the Fae within America: locations, sightings and most importantly business concerns and interests. Fairies were crafty creatures who had centuries of experience in avoiding detection so I knew my best chance of unearthing one was to follow a money trail. Amy had been put on full-time Fairy-hunting duty (as soon as Sookie was found, I would hire her as a minder for the girl). The Sheriff of Bon Temps had been glamoured into keeping me constantly apprised of any developments in the case. I was willing to hunt, bribe and torture in order to have Sookie returned to me. The violence of my feelings surprised me; the only other being I felt so strongly for was Pam, my child. The most difficult aspect of this ordeal was the uncertainty. Not knowing who took her (Fintan? Niall? One of Niall's many enemies?) or whether she was still alive drove me insane. Hours turned to days, days turned to weeks and still I had no news or usable leads.

A week ago, Adele Stackhouse had suffered a stress-induced heart attack. Driven by an odd impulse, I had visited her in the hospital. Upon seeing her lying unconscious in her bed, hanging onto life by the slenderest thread, I did what I should have done a long time ago with Sookie: I fed her my blood.

Adele had been one of only four humans I had shared my blood with in more than a millennium of existence, yet I did not hesitate as I knew Sookie would be devastated if she found her grandmother deceased upon her return. I had failed to protect her, but I would protect hers. There was also the fact that being able to keep track of Adele could be potentially beneficial to my quest: after all, the woman was known to have been in contact with Fintan. Every night after rising, I would briefly check the bond, and every night I was forwarded a wave of deep despair. In a way, it was comforting to know someone else shared my anguish despite the fact that I was acutely aware that in mere months a small human child had undone centuries of careful emotional insulation.

As I lay in my bed, counting the days since Sookie had been ripped from my life, I probed once more the bond linking me to Adele. To my astonishment, instead of the usual despair, I received elation and relief. I shot up from the bed and dressed in a blur.

Twenty minutes later, I was landing on Adele's lawn. I knew at once that Sookie was back; even through the closed windows I could smell her unmistakable scent. I hovered from window to window, not caring whether I could be spotted, in search of the girl. At last, I found her seated in the kitchen next to her brother, where she was being fed large amounts of food and fussed over by a frantic Adele. It took all the self-control at my disposal to refrain from storming the kitchen to touch Sookie and confirm that she was indeed there, safe and unharmed.

Conscious that I was taking unnecessary risks, I flew towards a tree at the edge of the nearby woods and waited for the house to die for the night. The hours passed excruciatingly slowly. I knew I should have used the time to perform my Sheriff's duties back in Shreveport but no one and nothing could have pried me away from my branch. I needed to hold Sookie in my arms before the night was through.

At about one in the morning, the last lights were turned off. I carefully approached what I knew was Sookie's room (she was no longer sharing a bedroom with Jason) but it was empty. I circled the house and found her smell on the other side of the floor: she was sleeping with Adele tonight. I debated on whether to call it a night but eventually chose to wait next to the shed, in case Sookie sought me out. I knew that she would be able to sense my presence if she were awake: she had explained to me that, while she could not read my thoughts, she could perceive my brain signature, which she described as an empty bubble.

After half an hour I heard the sound of small footsteps scampering across the house followed by the sound of the front door being unlocked. I moved towards the porch and was practically vibrating with anticipation by the time I climbed the front steps.

Sookie had barely cracked the door open when I dashed towards her and grasped at her. In the same motion, I soared through the air, giving Sookie a fresh aerial show. The sound of her laughter washed away all the sorrow of the past three weeks. When we had both calmed down, I landed us on the roof of the farmhouse. Sookie never let go of me, settling on my lap and resting her head against my chest. After a few minutes of silence during which we blissfully basked in each other's presence, I spoke:

"Sookie, what happened?"

Without ever lifting her head from my torso, Sookie recounted her abduction by a Fairy named Preston at the orders of Prince Niall (Niall! I should have known the devious bastard was behind it all) and her subsequent stay in Faerun. Listening to her telling me about 'Supes School' made me realise that I should have been the one teaching her about how the Supernatural world worked, instead of feeding her forgotten Norse tales. I would remedy this omission at once. From now on, I would focus on preparing Sookie for her life ahead.

Because of the quirk of her mind, she would never truly get to enjoy a 'normal' life. Her fate was linked to the Supernatural world, especially since I now knew that I would never let her go. She needed to be fully informed and taught to use her gift at optimum potency to protect her own mental and emotional health and to make herself valuable enough to earn the favour and protection of the very powerful. When Sookie described her unexpected burst of Magic and subsequent illness, I felt like the last piece of the puzzle had been set. So that was why she had been returned: Faerun had made her sick. I had found it inconceivable that Niall would ever consent to separating himself from the talented Telepath but it seemed in the end that her human heritage had saved her a lot of grief.

Sookie ended her tale by relating how Claudine, her new Fairy Godmother, and Fintan had rescued her. I was surprised to find an ally in my former prey (we both obviously wanted to keep Sookie within the human realm), but I was mistrustful of Claudine, whom I saw as Niall's pawn. Sookie quieted down and for a while we were both lost in our thoughts. I was savouring the feel of her warm body against mine and the silkiness of her hair as she reclined against me.

After a time, I broke the quiet:

'Little one, I need you to do something for me."

Sookie lifted her eyes to meet mine.

"Yes?"

"I need you to drink some of my blood."

"Your blood?" she exclaimed. "But I'm not hurt!"

Her statement took me aback as I had expected her to be disgusted or at least utterly confused by my request. Then I remembered that she had been taught about Vampires while in Faerun and probably knew a few things about Vampire blood properties. This was actually a good thing and it would make convincing her easier.

"My blood isn't just for healing, little one. If you ingest just a few drops, I will be able to sense your emotions and will always know your location. I would immediately know if you are in danger and would be able to track you down to come to your rescue."

Sookie considered that for a few moments before declaring:

"OK, let's do this. Fintan told me Niall promised to leave me alone from now on, but now that I know there are so many other things out there, I'll feel better knowing you will always come for me."

"Did you ever doubt that, little one?" I said, smiling down at her. "Are you ready?"

When she nodded, I brought my wrist to my extended fangs and bit down. I quickly lowered the seeping wound to Sookie's mouth and was pleased to see her hesitating only briefly before placing her lips over the puncture points. With considerable effort, I clamped down my body's natural reaction to the suction and the wound closed after a few seconds. I had given her more blood that was necessary but the bond would be longer-lasting this way.

"Are you feeling well, little one?" I enquired, noticing her slightly dazed expression.

"Your blood doesn't taste like real blood at all. It's actually pretty good," she remarked, licking her lips.

I smirked at her and, after one last cuddle, I flew us back to the porch. Sookie stepped inside the house and before closing the door she said:

"Thank you for everything Eric. Thank you not forgetting about me; thank you for sharing your blood and thank you for being such a good friend." And with a little wave she was gone. It then occurred to me that Sookie always somehow managed to have the last word in all of our encounters. The feisty little Fairy certainly knew how to make an exit.

The following week was entirely dedicated to Vampire politics. My Queen, Sophie-Anne, made an impromptu visit to Shreveport and I was forced to entertain her nightly (and trust me, the woman redefined the word 'high-maintenance'). One night the conversation took an awkward turn when she grilled me about my recent obsession with Fairies. I cringed internally but I had known she would inevitably learn of my activities.

"It simply occurred to me that I had not tasted a Fairy for more than two decades and I developed a sudden craving for the delicious nectar. What can I say? We all have our weaknesses." I explained when Sophie-Anne had pressed on the issue.

She had eyed me sceptically before quipping:

"I was not aware you had any weaknesses, Sheriff. I will keep that in mind."

As soon as the Queen had vacated my Area, I flew directly to Sookie. I was slightly surprised to find that the widows of her room had been reinforced with iron bars but I was pleased that Adele took her safety as seriously as I did. The new security measures meant that I would have to be sneakier to reach Sookie on the nights I visited her.

As with the previous week, I waited for Sookie next to the shed and soon after her Grandmother had fallen asleep, she came out of the front door. I settled us on the roof and encouraged Sookie to tell me about her week. My interest was piqued when she observed that her telepathy had been both stronger and more easily controllable all week.

"I never had so much ease blocking out everybody. It's like little walls have grown in my head. At first I even though I had lost my telepathy but after a while I realised I could control the little walls; you know, drop or raise them at will. And it turns out my telepathy isn't gone at all! If anything it's louder than ever now!"

"Sookie, how did you feel when you thought you had lost your telepathy?"

She looked surprised at my line of questioning and after reflecting for a few seconds, she declared:

"Well, I wasn't as happy as I thought I would be. I mean, it has caused me a lot of trouble before but I guess I like having a little thing that makes me special after all."

"Your telepathy is far from the only thing that makes you special, little one. But I am glad that you are starting to look at it like the gift it is."

"Do you know why it's so much easier to deal with now?"

"I am certain that is the effect of my blood. I had not anticipated that it would influence your ability but it is a welcome side-benefit."

"Does that mean it will always be like that? I mean, now that I've had your blood, will I always have those walls?"

"My blood will fade eventually, and I suspect the beneficial effects will vanish right along with it. Unless…"

Sookie looked at me eagerly.

"Little one, have you been dreaming of me?"

"Err, yes, sure. What does that have to do with anything?" she answered with a frown.

"What kinds of dreams?" I pressed.

"Well, it's mostly dreams where you take me flying. We go to all sorts of places and sometimes we even travel on a magic carpet so you can rest. Other times, we just talk or you teach me to ride dragons like a real Valkyrie. Why, is that bad?"

"Have you noticed any change in the nature of your dreams in the past week?"

"Nope! Except… well, I don't need to sleep as much as usual. I have so much more energy and now I even wake up before Gran in the morning. That's your blood too, right?"

"Correct," I nodded. "And have you been feeling withdrawal? By that I mean have you felt the urge to drink more of my blood while I was away?"

"Nope" she replied. "You taste good, Eric, but not _that_ good," she added with a smile, which I mirrored.

Now this was interesting; it seemed my blood had atypical effects on the child. At my age, only a few drops would be necessary for an adult woman to develop an obsession for me and a craving for my blood, yet Sookie had had several mouthfuls without any of the usual repercussions, aside from enhanced physical and mental faculties. It was possible that her telepathy rendered her 'immune' to some of my blood Magic, in the same way that she was immune to my glamour. It was also plausible that she was simply too young to be fully affected by the blood. Vampires seldom shared their blood, and never to my knowledge with a child, so I was drifting into uncharted territory by creating a bond with Sookie.

Still, if I could safely feed her my blood without fear of transforming her into an addict or of her becoming prematurely infatuated with me, I would jump at the opportunity. I had already resolved to tutor her on mental techniques to help her assert control over her mental abilities and the side-effects of my blood would only make my task easier.

"Sookie, I want to carry on feeding you my blood to keep your 'little walls' strong. It would not be much, just a few drops once every two weeks or so. Are you agreeable to that idea?"

"Yes, I would love that. Thank you Eric!"

"Good. Now, little one, would you like to hear about _my_ week?"

Sookie nodded enthusiastically and, just like that, she got her first lesson in Vampire politics.

Thank you for reading. Next chapter **Poker Face** should be up by the end of next week.


	6. Poker Face

**A/N**: I received some questions regarding the nature of the blood-bond between Sookie and Eric.

A permanent blood-bond can only be formed after three mutual exchanges and, since Eric isn't feeding from Sookie at this stage, there is no chance of her becoming Eric's Bonded anytime soon. What they have is a magical connection that allows Eric to sense her emotions and location. Sookie cannot feel Eric at all.

Song for this chapter: _Girl, you'll be a woman soon_ by Urge Overkill

* * *

**Chap 6 – POKER FACE**

**EPOV**

Over the next few years, I taught Sookie what she needed to know to safely navigate the Supernatural world in general, and Vampire politics in particular.

Learning all that could be learned on those topics would take centuries, so I gave her the Cliffs Notes version. My goal wasn't to make her an expert but to allow her to have the tools to make informed decisions and avoid traps. With her gift and heritage, there would be no shortage of Vampires and other Supes seeking to exploit and manipulate her. My own intentions had been far from benevolent in the beginning and, when it came to Vampires, I was one of the more honourable ones.

One of my very first lessons was called 'How to kill a Fairy'. I was surprised to learn that, before taking his leave, Fintan had lectured Adele and Sookie on Fae weaknesses. Adele had gifted Sookie a small iron crucifix, to be worn at all times, and always kept her fridge stocked with fresh lemon juice. I myself supplied Sookie with small lemon juice atomisers that I instructed her to keep in her backpack whenever she went to school.

Despite his promise to Fintan, I did not believe for a second that Niall had given up on whatever plans he had for Sookie. As soon as he found a way to prevent Sookie from getting sick in Faerun, he would resume his dastardly schemes; of that I was certain. I still hadn't figured out what his exact interest in Sookie was (her telepathy alone couldn't be what made her valuable to him, as she could not read Fairies) but from what I knew of the autocratic, devious bastard, Sookie would most likely not enjoy whatever he had planned for her.

In order to strengthen her mental abilities, I coached Sookie in various meditation and breathing techniques and taught her how to optimise her mental processes. As a way to develop her language skills and guarantee that we would have a means of communicating privately, I taught her Swedish, the modern version of my mother tongue, Old Norse, and she took to the language as well as a native.

Between the effects of my blood and that of the various techniques I trained her in, Sookie's school performances increased exceptionally. She was able to catch up to her classmates without difficulty and was soon her class's best pupil by far, to the point that her teacher insisted that she be moved up a grade.

Sookie also found out that being a kidnap victim did great things for her popularity. The ordeal had made her a playground celebrity and, for the first time in her life, other children were seeking her company. The new control she had developed over her telepathic gifs meant that she was now able to function normally in social settings and pass for a regular little girl. As a result, she was able to maintain most of the new friendships she had gained and became very sought-after.

Her new-found popularity meant that it became trickier for me to meet up with her, especially on the week-ends, as she regularly had sleep-overs at friend's houses or young friends visiting her at her Gran's. Eventually, I gave her a pager and used the little device to alert her to my impending visits. If for any reason it was unsafe or inopportune for me to show up, she would send negativity through the bond and I knew to stay away. Otherwise, she would be waiting for me outside the house by the time I landed in Bon Temps.

As the years passed, such warnings to stay away increased in frequency as her social life took more and more of her time. I'll readily admit that the fact that she had less need for my presence now that she had built up so many friendships stung a bit. Still, I was pleased that her peers had finally accepted her.

Now that she could control it, her attitude towards her telepathy had greatly improved. She longer saw it as a curse but as an interesting ability to explore and develop. As the years went on, she gained increased mastery over her gift: she learned how to fine-tune the scale of her range, the strength of her walls, the volume of people's voices. When I made her attempt to read Amy, the experiment taught us that it was difficult for her to read Weres (their brain patterns were hazy and unstable) but that if she meditated beforehand and focused intently on her target, she could get an almost clear reading, without having to make physical contact. When in her wolf form, however, Amy's mind was completely indecipherable.

When she became more confident in her abilities, she agreed to perform some small tests on her classmates. She found out that she could direct their thoughts by asking pointed questions and also control how deep she went inside their minds. These discoveries were encouraging but Sookie was still loath to intrude on other people's thoughts, so I did not insist too heavily on that aspect of her intellectual development.

When she turned ten, I elected to start with her physical training. She had always been a small, skinny child, but after experiencing a grow spurt her body became sturdier.

I bought a safe house outside Bon Temps, about a five minutes' flight away from her house, to serve as our training dojo. It was a one-story house with a flat roof and when the weather and the nature of the lesson permitted it, we would use the roof, otherwise we trained inside.

I tutored Sookie on self-defence, mixed Martial-Arts techniques and the art of the katana (the thin blade was more adapted to her morphology than a broadsword would be). Sookie proved to be as efficient and talented a student in this as in everything else and I had much pleasure teaching her to fight. The last person I had educated in the art of combat had been my child and, since Sookie was not burdened by Pam's natural tendency to laziness, coaching her proved immensely rewarding. Years flew by, and my pride in, and attachment to, Sookie only grew stronger.

One night, I received a phone call notifying me of the impending arrival of one of my least favourite Vampires. Gritting my teeth, I steeled myself for what was bound to be a particularly unpleasant week.

**SPOV **

"Sookie, focus!"

"I'm doing my best here!" I groaned. "Can't you go easy on me?"

Eric gave me an exasperated look.

"Your adversaries will not go 'easy' on you, Sookie, so why should I? Beside, with the way you hold your guard, they won't need to make any particular effort to take you down."

"What's wrong with my guard?"

"It's non-existent, that's what. Unless your intention is to ward your knees."

"Give me a break, here! You're ten freakin' feet tall! My guard is always going to be too low for you."

Eric rolled his eyes.

"How many times have I told you that your size can be used as an advantage? It makes you harder to catch and to corner. Instead of staying in the defensive, bait me! Make me reach out for you, upset my balance and then strike! Now show me a proper guard and let's do this again," he commanded.

We'd been training on the roof of the safe house for almost an hour and I'd been struggling with the katana lesson. It didn't help that Eric was in a foul mood, and now so was I. After half-an-hour more of exertion, I threw in the towel. Bending to rest my hands on my knees, I pleaded:

"Eric, please! I need a break. I've had a rotten day and I can't deal with your mood right now."

"I seriously doubt your day was worse than my week," he replied coldly.

I glared at him and he let out an unnecessary breath.

"Fine! Let's get out of here."

He came up to me and circled my waist.

"You're taking me home?" I asked.

"Is that where you want to go?"

"No! I mean, I don't mind just hanging out."

"Then hold tight."

Eric lifted us through the air and headed out towards the woods. I loved flying with him; it made me feel safe and incredibly free. This close to his body, I could smell his cologne mixed with his unique scent; I loved his smell and wished I could bottle it. He landed us on a large tree branch and I settled down next to him. After a moment of silence, I spoke:

"So, Sophie-Anne, huh?"

"What?"

"Your bad week? There are a really limited number of things that can get you mad enough to show it; and top of that list is the Queen of Louisiana. So I guess you've received a visit from Sophie-Anne, right?"

"Worse," Eric groaned, "Andre."

"Ouch!"

Andre was Sophie-Anne's bratty child; a centuries-old predator trapped in the hormonal and temperamental shell of a teenage boy. He was also a complete psycho, even by Vampire standards.

"What did he want this time?"

Eric stared at me thoughtfully, as if considering how much to tell me. We often discussed Vampire politics, as he wanted me to be informed, but he kept certain things from me. As I knew he trusted me implicitly (I would never betray him, and it's not like anyone would believe me if I started babbling), I suspected that what he concealed from me were the kind of facts that would put him in an unflattering light. Despite the kindness he displayed towards me, I was under no illusion that he could be a savage beast when needed; but I was grateful to him for sparing me that aspect of his life.

Eric reached a decision and spoke:

"Sookie, are we completely alone?"

I understood what he was asking of me and dropped my shields to check our perimeter. My range had vastly increased over the years and I could now 'hear' for miles. I was also able to distinguish between active and sleeping brains, human and Supernatural signatures (although Vampires, Fairies and Weres were the only ones I could identify by name) and adults versus children. After focusing for a few seconds, I pronounced:

"All clear!"

"Good. What I'm about to tell you could get me staked for treason but, since it will affect you, I want you to know of it."

I nodded gravely, aware that Eric was going out of his way to impress me with how serious the topic was.

"The High Council, which you know is the highest Supernatural authority within this realm, has begun discussing the possibility of revealing our existence to the humans."

I gasped in shock.

"What? But… how?" was all I was able to utter.

"It's very early days and it could be decades before any plans are set in motion; but it is now clear that our millennia of secrecy are coming to a close."

"Will it affect only Vampires, or other Supes as well?" I questioned, when I'd recovered.

"Just Vampires, for now. Other races will most likely be waiting to see how it turns out for us," he remarked grimly.

"I just don't see how this could work," I said quietly.

"Neither do I. Humans would surely seek to destroy us if they learned of our existence; we are, after all, predators, and you are our prey. There are rumors that The High Council is working on a project with human scientists that would allow us to come out safely, but the details are kept top secret. This is actually one of the reasons Andre came to me. He knows my Maker is very powerful and connected, one of the oldest Vampires on the planet, and he has been trying to force me to get sensitive information out of him to feed to Sophie-Anne."

"Will you?"

"Absolutely not! First of all, I have not been in contact with my Maker in centuries, and I intend to keep it that way. Secondly, Andre is completely deluded if he thinks my Maker would share High Council secrets with me, and even more stupid to believe I would betray my Maker's trust."

"Do you agree with the decision? To come out, I mean."

"Well, I was reticent at first but, the truth is, we might not have the choice for much longer. Human technology is developing by leaps and bounds and it is only a matter of time before your scientists find out about us. It would be preferable if we took the initiative, so as to not lose complete control over our destinies. But I still believe we will need a great incentive to convince humans we can co-exist in relative peace; or else…"

"Or else?"

Eric swiveled his head to stare at me and declared very seriously.

"Or else, think World War II; only with fangs."

I shuddered involuntary, silently wondering who would win such a conflict… and on whose side I would be. Eric brought me out of my musing by observing:

"It will be better for you, I believe, if we are out in the open."

"Why?"

"Because then other Vampires will be forced to be aboveboard in their dealings with you. If we are to co-exist, we need to convince humans that we are capable of abiding by their laws. As it stands now, you could just disappear and be enslaved in a dungeon somewhere. Such behavior would be far more difficult to get away with if we had to contend with public opinion."

I knew Eric had been thinking aloud and had not realized how disturbing his words were, but I couldn't help the cold sweat running down my spine. As he felt my fear through the bond, he bent to my side and wrapped an arm around me.

"Do not fear, Sookie. I will not let anything happen to you."

I relaxed against in his embrace for a few minutes until he let me go.

"What else did Andre want?" I inquired.

"Nothing you have to trouble yourself with," he replied dismissively.

OK, then! Scary secret Vampire business it is. I could tell that whatever had transpired between him and Andre was causing him to be concerned. Hell, his foul mood from earlier this evening was proof enough of that.

"Eric, are you worried about your safety?" I asked cautiously.

"I always worry about my safety, Sookie. I would not have survived this long by being careless; but Andre is no danger to me."

"Oh, OK. I just had the impression that you were a bit afraid of him."

"Caution and fear are two different concepts. I am wary of Andre but I do not fear him. The only being who has ever inspired fear in me was my Maker, and Andre is inoffensive in comparison."

"Wasn't your Maker good to you?"

Eric scoffed.

"Ocella was a vicious son of a bitch, but I do owe him a great debt: he made me the Vampire I am today." His features hardened. "He was not kind by any stretch of the imagination, but it is doubtful I would have survived this long with a kind Maker."

"But you're kind to Pam, aren't you? I mean, the way you talk about her, it's obvious that you care for her a great deal."

"Times were different when I found her, Sookie. I have lived through the darkest moments of human history and had to fight for every second of my survival. For many centuries, being a Vampire was all about cruelty and violence, because of our nature, of course, but also because the world around us was so harsh. Pam has only known the relative comfort and safety of modern civilization. It is actually simpler to live undetected among mortals, nowadays, as you have grown skeptical and now have now more faith in science than in God. When people believed that devils were real, and that monsters dwelled in the shadows, we were constantly at risk of being exposed and ended. You would not believe what disturbing signs contemporary humans are willing to dismiss just because they have convinced themselves that our existence is 'not possible'."

Eric gave me a fangy smile to emphasis his point then resumed his musings.

"I have been a strict Maker to Pam, and have taught her how to be a fighter and a survivalist; but I have also spoiled her, just because I could. I suppose I am not so different from those human parents who overindulge their children to make up for their own unhappy childhood."

I was silently listening, fascinated. Eric was rarely this candid about his past, so whenever I managed to get him to open up, I felt privileged to serve as his confidante.

"Did your Maker beat you?" I inquired. "You don't have to answer that if that's a rude question," I hastened to add.

"My Maker beat, tortured, starved, maimed, punished and humiliated me in any way he could; for the first few centuries, at least. He did eventually decide that I had earned a respite, and released me a few decades after that."

"Oh, God!" I exclaimed, horrified. "Why turn you at all, if all he did was abuse you?"

"Because he could? Some people do enjoy having absolute power over others, Sookie. Vampires especially do."

"Did he even tell you why he chose you?"

"Not really. He used to say that he knew as soon as he saw me that I would make a terrifying immortal warrior; but I suspect the main reason he turned me was because he lusted after me."

"Wow! Do you mean he actually killed you just so he could hit on you?"

Eric let out a mirthless laugh.

"Sookie, Ocella never had to 'court' me. One of the very first lessons he taught me was that Makers are all-powerful over their children. His word was literally my command. I had no choice but to submit to his desires."

I brought my hand to my mouth to cover the gasp that was escaping when I understood the meaning of his words.

"Eric… I'm so sorry…"

He shrugged.

"It's alright. It wasn't so bad, after a while."

"You mean… you _enjoyed_ it?" I asked, puzzled.

"Sookie, you must understand that new-born Vampires are all urges and needs. After we are awoken, everything takes on a new intensity and becomes uniquely exciting; _especially_ sex. So yes, after a time, I did enjoy sex with my Maker."

I was silent as I took in the information.

"So… does that mean you're, like, gay?"

"Vampires do not really view sex in such a way. After centuries of existence, labels become obsolete. To answer your question, I have been with several men, aside from my Maker, but not recently; and my preference has always been for women."

I nodded, feeling oddly relieved.

"Have you ever been in love?"

"We do not love," he replied abruptly.

I felt my heart constrict in my chest and Eric must have sensed my hurt because he added in a gentler tone:

"But we do feel. In many ways, we feel deeper than humans."

His stare was boring into mine and I had to avert my gaze to conceal my blush. The silence that stretched between us wasn't totally comfortable so I decided to change the subject.

"So, what is it like?"

"What is _what_ like, Sookie?"

"Sleeping with another guy; what's it like?" I responded, meeting his gaze head-on despite my deep blush.

His expression was a mix of amusement and incredulity.

"What? I'm 12; I'm not a baby anymore. I know how babies are made. Or not made in your case."

"Ô, the joys of childish innocence," Eric mocked and I rolled my eyes; but I could tell he was going to answer me anyway.

"I suppose it's not unlike… a vigorous massage," he finally declared.

I threw my head back and burst out laughing, and Eric soon joined me. When we'd both calmed down, I could not conceal a yawn.

"Sookie, it's time you drank from me again," he announced.

"OK, sure."

It had been three weeks since my last 'feed' and while I was still bursting with vitality, I had noticed that my energy levels were beginning to drop. These days, I mostly took Eric's blood so I could get away with as little sleep as possible to accommodate our lessons and training sessions, as his blood, in addition to tasting delicious, worked like an industrial strength multi-vitamin cocktail. My shields, it seemed, had taken on a life of their own, and they never weakened or failed me, even when I went without any Vampire blood 'top-up' for a while. Eric and I had discussed the subject and he came to the conclusion that, since I had been fed large amounts of blood while my brain was still developing, the enhancements to my cognitive processes would probably be permanent.

Eric pierced one of his fingertips with a fang then extended his bloody digit. I took it in my mouth and began suckling. As usual, I noticed his body stiffening, despite the fact that I did my best to be as gentle as possible (I guess having your blood extracted wasn't particularly pleasant). I let go of his finger when I felt the wound closing and huddled closer to him to rest my head on his lap.

We remained nestled against each other for a while, Eric only occasionally breaking the quiet to quiz me about my life and my family. Finally, he flew me back home, and landed me on the porch. As was our habit, I hugged him tightly, breathing in his lovely fragrance, before depositing a kiss on his cheek and saying my goodbyes.

"Goodnight, Eric."

"Goodnight, Sookie."

**EPOV**

I was lounging in my office at _Dragon House_, looking up the Internet to find ideas for a suitable present for Sookie's impending 13th birthday, when Soledad informed me of that a newly-arrived Vampire had come to register himself. Apparently, he had spent the last few decades at Sophie-Anne's court in New-Orleans but now wished to set up home in Shreveport.

I had him escorted in and allowed him to settle in the low chair opposite my desk. I deliberately made a show of barely acknowledging his presence for a few minutes before turning to face him.

The Vampire seated in front of me was of average built, had dark hair and eyes and a stilted demeanour. There was something about his persona that rubbed me the wrong way; maybe it was the fact that he came across as the kind of person who would run from a battle rather than towards it.

"William Compton, is that right?" I asked, reading his name from the residency application form Soledad had placed in front of me.

"Yes indeed, Sheriff," he answered in an over the top Southern accent (I guess that's how people spoke when he was turned), "but I'd rather be addressed as Bill if it's all the same to you."

"Bill, then" I said in a bored tone, "what brings you to my Area?"

"Nostalgia, mostly," he replied with a small smile. "As a human, I used to live in a little town not far from Shreveport, and I admit to being curious to see how things have changed since I became Vampire."

I eyed him sceptically. Did he think I was an idiot? Vampires did not get nostalgic; our survival instincts drove us to bury all memories of our human life deep within us and never look back. Dwelling on the past was an extremely dangerous hobby for our kind.

"You intend to visit your place of birth?" He nodded. "I'm afraid I cannot allow you to do that, Bill. You are not old enough for me to be certain you would not be recognised from a picture or painting. People in small southern towns tend to keep detailed family records and you might have living relatives."

"As a matter of fact, Sheriff, I have a descendant currently living in my old house…" I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, sorry, Sheriff; I should have mentioned that I have already made discreet inquiries when I arrived two nights ago. But I can assure you I have no intention of attempting to make actual contact with my relative; I was merely driven by curiosity."

"Bill, you do know what happened to the cat, don't you?"

Compton looked at me with a baffled expression. I sighed unnecessarily.

"You have been in my Area unannounced for 48 hours, during which time you have taken unnecessary risks by coming back to a place where you might have been recognised." I paused for effect. "I have de-fanged Vampires for a lot less." I watched him shift uncomfortably in his seat. "Bill, I want you to understand that as long as you are in my Area, you will need to abide to my rules and that includes not going on foolish fact-finding expeditions. Am I in any way unclear?"

Compton stiffened in his chair.

"Not at all, Sheriff. You have made your position very clear."

"In your application you have listed an address in Shreveport. Am I to assume this is where you intend to live permanently?"

"Yes indeed."

I kept my face neutral but, internally, I was smirking. My suspicions had just been confirmed.

Compton's nest was situated in a building owned by Sophie-Anne where all the lodgings were handed out as royal grace and favour. All the people who lived there were on the Queen's payroll one way or another, which meant that Compton was the latest in a long line of spies she had sent my way in the past few years. The cover story Compton had just regurgitated to explain his sudden presence in my Area had to rank as the silliest yet.

Ever since the Fairy episode six years ago, Sophie-Anne had been convinced that I was hiding something from her. While she was correct in her assumption, I was not about to come forward with my telepathic little friend. So far, all her spies had come back empty-handed and Compton would be no different. I would keep an eye on him and send him on a few merry chases to keep him occupied. I granted Compton the right to remain in my Area and received his pledge.

"One more thing, Bill: what is the name of your home town?"

"Bon Temps."

With great effort, I kept the shock from my face. Shit! I suddenly remembered that the surname of Sookie's neighbour was Compton. Bill had dropped enough hints for me to have made the connection ten minutes ago. Compton was discreetly observing me, and a strange smirk flitted across his face. I did not like that one bit.

"Have you ever been to this town, Sheriff?" he asked in a smooth voice.

I shrugged.

"Of course, Bill. The restaurant scene of Bon Temps is world-class. I recommend the Michelin-starred Thai," I replied.

Compton scowled at my sarcasm but his face was back in control within seconds.

"Forgive me for inquiring Sheriff. It's just that I've heard rumours of you being sighted around that part of the country," he added.

This time he was openly scrutinising my reaction and I felt my anger rise. How the fuck did he know that? There were only three people who knew of my connection to Bon Temps: Pam, Amy and Arnold. Pam was a tomb; I was assured of Amy's loyalty since I had control over her father's fate, but what about Arnold? I hadn't glamoured the Were as planned, as I had been distracted by Sookie and now I bitterly regretted my negligence. Had he talked? Was that why Compton had gone sniffing around Bon Temps? How much did he know?

Looking straight in Compton's eye, I declared calmly:

"If you have come to Shreveport to take your fill of unreliable gossip, Bill, I suggest you take a subscription to the _Shreveport Reporter_. I believe they have a quite popular section on the sex lives of local celebrities; it seems it would be right up your alley."

Compton controlled his anger with quite some difficulty. Half rising from his chair, he stated:

"Thank you Sheriff, but I don't believe that will be necessary. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe my business here is done."

"Sit down, Compton," I ordered in an icy voice.

He looked shocked and froze in his awkward position, but finally did as commanded. I glared at him for a few seconds before beginning idly going through some of the paperwork on my desk. After letting him stew for another ten minutes, I spoke, without ever lifting my eyes from the reports.

"All official Area business is handled from here, as you know. There is a monthly meeting that is compulsory for all of the Area's Vampires. It is your responsibility to keep updated on the date and time of the meetings. Any failure to attend will be considered insubordination and will be dealt with accordingly."

There, I shot him a cold look.

"_Now_ we're done, Compton. You may leave."

Compton rose, looking stiffer than ever, before giving me strained nod.

"Thank you, Sheriff. I will keep myself apprised of any _relevant_ information."

The way he put an odd emphasis on 'relevant' made me want to hook him up to a liquid silver drip but I made a show of indifference, returning to my papers as he exited my office.

As soon as he was out of earshot, I summoned Soledad and ordered her to have Compton followed. Then I called my contact in the Shreveport Pack to inquire about Arnold's whereabouts. As it turned out, the Were had disappeared without a trace more than a week ago and had yet check in with his Pack leader.

This was not good. If Sophie-Anne had learned of the existence of the portal, Compton would only be the beginning. I had to think about an exit strategy fast, but there were still too many unknowns.

Later that night Soledad reported that Compton had gone back straight to his nest after leaving _Dragon House_ and that his tail had not noticed any suspicious activity. I thanked her and instructed her to keep Compton under constant surveillance. Over the few next nights, a sort of routine seemed to establish itself: Compton would make an appearance at _Dragon House_ for a few hours, ostensibly to socialise with other Vampires or conduct some business meetings (the dull bastard was selling some kind of accounting computer program, I had been told). While there, he would sniff around more or less discreetly, attempting to gather some intelligence about my habits and my private life, then he would go back home.

Compton's relatively aimless nosing augured well: he was obviously getting nowhere and had yet to go back to Bon Temps. On the fifth day, I received news from the Shreveport's Pack leader that Arnold had reappeared, having recently wed the daughter of the New-Orleans's Pack leader after having eloped with her to Las Vegas. I arrange for a secret meeting with Arnold later that night and, when I saw him, I compelled him reveal to whom he had disclosed my connection to Bon Temps.

It turned out that Arnold was indeed the source of the leak: about three weeks ago, he had drunkenly bragged about once going on a top secret mission with me in Bon Temps, while in a Supes bar in New Orleans. He must have been overheard by a Were or a Vampire loyal to Sophie-Anne, who had then reported the intel to someone in her entourage. Luckily, even in his inebriated state, he had had enough self-preservation instinct left not to reveal the exact nature of the mission. I suspected the reason no one had yet attempted to glamour the information out of him was because he had disappeared with his new conquest before anyone had the chance to try. Still holding him under my glamour, I modified his memories of the night, making him believe that the assignment had merely been to investigate a report of a Maenad appearance around the Bon Temps woods and that he had exaggerated its importance to make himself sound interesting.

Bill left Shreveport a week later, claiming to have been summoned back to New-Orleans to serve at the court of Sophie-Anne. I deduced that Arnold must have been 'interrogated'. I wasn't exactly pained to see the back of Compton and, as soon as he had crossed my Area borders, I paged Sookie to notify her of my incoming visit and flew to Bon Temps. I knew I would have to decrease the frequency of my trips to the small town from now on as I was bound to eventually attract unwanted attention, even if only by accident. I had been extremely lucky until then, but I hadn't survived a 1,000 years by relying on luck.

When I arrived, Sookie was already waiting next to shed, clad in her training gear. She greeted me with a smile that I returned but, as I was approaching her, the smell of blood filled my nostrils. My fangs shot out instinctively, making her jump, and I closed the remaining distance at Vampire speed and grabbed her by the arms.

"Are you hurt, Sookie?" I inquired urgently, while looking over her body for signs of injury.

"What? Eric, no. I'm fine!"

I took another deep breath and was puzzled to identify the source of the blood leak as… her vagina? Through the bond, I felt a wave of mortification. I realised that I had been staring at her crotch area and when I lifted my eyes I saw that she was blushing furiously.

"What's going on with you tonight?" she muttered, while shaking herself from my hold.

I let her go before asking:

"Sookie, are you currently having your period?"

She turned an even deeper shade of red and glared at me.

"Jesus Eric, couldn't you be a bit more discreet and considerate?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"What is the problem, Sookie? When I was human, feasts would be thrown to celebrate the day a female became fertile. It was a source of great pride for both the girl and her relatives."

"Yeah well, _we_, modern Americans, don't thrown fertility parties or shout that kind of stuff from the rooftops," she huffed.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"If you say so. Are you well enough to train tonight?"

She nodded and I went to circle her waist for our flight to the safe house. I noticed that her body stiffened when I made contact and that she blushed some more. I dismissed her strange reaction as residual embarrassment from our recent conversation and soared through the air.

The flight proved to be eventful as the scent of Sookie's blood was carried to my nose by the shifting air. This close to her body, the smell was almost overwhelming. Now that I did not believe her in danger anymore, I had the opportunity to examine the fragrance. G_ods_, she smelled intoxicating. The Fae base-note in her blood was now more potent than ever and I also noticed that her sweat smelled different and was now distinctively loaded with pheromones. It became increasingly difficult to hide my body's response to the olfactory stimulus and I had to shift her in mid-air, so that she was riding me piggyback.

The five minutes' flight seemed to last for hours and when we landed on the roof of the safe house, I hastily disentangled myself from her. I had to get away from her in order to calm down, but my sudden motion caused her to lose her balance and land on her ass.

"What the hell, Eric?" she shouted.

"What did I teach you about making a good fall?" I countered, my temper rising as I struggled to regain control of myself.

"Whatever!" She snapped. "What crawled up your ass and died?"

As she rose up and dusted her leggings, I silently observed her. I had noticed the changes she had gone through over the past year, of course, but tonight I really _looked_ at her for the first time.

Her face had steadily grown in beauty (if she had gone through an awkward stage, I hadn't noticed it) and it was apparent that she would become a stunningly beautiful adult. Her body was still fairly immature but held the promise of the nubile young woman she would soon become. Her breasts had started to develop and were perking up under the fabric of her tank top. Her torso tapered at her waist only to flare once more at her hips. Legs toned by years of training completed the picture. I was torn from my reverie when Sookie cleared her throat. Judging by the way she was blushing again, not to mention the mix of embarrassment and lust _(lust?)_ I felt through the bond, she had caught me staring.

"I'm ready when you are," she stated in an uncertain voice.

"Humm, yes; let's begin our session. Are you okay with training on the roof tonight?"

"Sure."

I went inside the house to grab two wooden katanas and used the time to ponder on whether I had really felt lust coming from Sookie or if I had mistaken my own feelings for hers. When I returned, she seemed more self-possessed than before and we readily got down to business.

The training session was filled with tension and awkwardness. Her blood kept wafting towards me as she performed her katas, distracting and arousing me despite my best attempts to ignore it, and she kept blushing and stiffening anytime I touched her body to correct her posture or show her a new move. I felt lust through the bond several more times and, after the third occurrence, I was left with no doubts that the emotion came from her. I even caught her running her eyes over my body when she thought I wasn't looking (Vampires happen to have an excellent peripheral vision).

Finally, the atmosphere became so loaded that I decided to abridge our session and call it a night. Sookie seemed relieved with my decision, though I simultaneously felt a pang of anxiety through the bond. For the trip back, she climbed on my back without prompting and after I had landed us on the porch, she took her leave without the usual hug.

After I was safely back to my resting place, I called Soledad to inform her that I would not return to the club that night and, settling on my bed, I mulled over the evening's strange events.

The change in the dynamic of our relationship was obviously due to Sookie reaching a critical point in her pubertal development. She was at the cusp of womanhood and had barely a few years of childhood left to enjoy.

When I was human, females were considered sexually mature not long after they began menstruating and I myself had been married at 15, but times were different. Despite my reaction to Sookie tonight, I had no sexual interest in barely pubescent girls and knew that, had it not been for her intoxicating blood, I would not have been so aroused. The fact that _she_ had been sexually attracted to_ me_ was more problematic.

When I had first discovered Sookie's Fae heritage I had resolve to make her mine as soon she was grown, but I was no longer certain I really wished for that. Our relationship had evolved greatly over the years and she had… _changed_ me. I no longer saw her as strictly an asset but foremost as an individual. Instead of only considering what I could get from her, I was now equally concerned with what I could do _for_ her. I was still determined to attach her to my retinue, but it was as much to ensure her protection and guarantee her a good working environment where her gift would be valued and rewarded than for the benefits it would bring me.

If she ever were to become mine, I wanted the decision to be hers. I would not seduce her by manipulating her through a blood-bond or any other underhanded means.

The longer I thought about her uncharacteristic reactions, the more I was convinced that her menses had triggered a chain reaction within her organism that caused her to be now affected by my blood like any adult woman. I suspected she had recently had an erotic dream where I was the guest star. It explained everything: the lust, the awkwardness and the stiff body language. She must have been overwhelmed with new urges and feelings she did not fully understand and could not yet control.

If I kept on feeding her my blood, the situation would quickly become untenable. Even without the bond, my continued visits to her might send her mixed messages and confuse her. Already, the Compton episode had served as a warning that my constant presence at her side was potentially endangering her and, now that she could not be trusted to drink my blood (and I could not be trusted not to react inappropriately to her scent), I knew I that had to make a difficult decision.

My priority was to keep Sookie safe and happy. The bond would fade with time and I would no longer have this connection with Sookie but she would still have Amy or Claudine watching over her at all times. The Were and the Fairy were powerful enough to ward off danger long enough for me to come to the rescue if needed. As for her happiness, I would not cheat Sookie of her last years of childhood. My own teachings had been meant to ensure that she would be prepared to face the adult world but I had otherwise allowed her to be a normal little girl. Outside 'Supes school' she had friends her own age and a regular life. I would do what was needed to make certain that this would carry on for as long as possible.

I had reached my decision: to protect Sookie, I had to let her go.

**SPOV**

When I came home from the swimming pool, hair still wet from the shower, Gran was reading on the porch. I thanked Mrs. Jane, the woman who'd driven me home, and exited the car. I climbed the front stairs and hastened to hug Gran and plant a loud kiss on her cheek.

"I'm pleased to see you too, dear," Gran said with a smile. "How was the swim class?"

"It was great, Gran. Mr. Benoit took me aside and told me that I'm guaranteed to make the swimming team. We're not supposed to be told for another month but he said that I was the best in my age group so I deserved to know first."

"That doesn't seem to be fair towards the others, does it?" Gran observed.

"Yeah, I guess. But it's not like I'm going to rub it in anyone's face, right?"

I twisted my neck to read the title of the book Gran was reading.

"_Lolita_. Is that good?"

"It's excellent, dear, though you might want to wait a few years to read it."

"Ohhh, is it _naughty_?" I teased.

"Very," Gran replied with a chuckle.

I laughed and turned to the door. As I was about to go inside, I remembered something.

"Gran, Scarlett has invited me for a sleepover at her house this Saturday. It's going to be me, Tara and Scarlett. Is that all right with you?"

"Sure, dear. Tell Scarlett's parents to call me to arrange the details. Also, you've received a letter this afternoon while you were at the pool; it's on the kitchen table."

"Thanks Gran!"

I dashed towards the kitchen, curious to see who had sent me mail. My breath hitched as soon as I saw the letter. It must have been hand-delivered because there was no stamp. The envelope was thick and creamy and looked expensive. My name and address were written in an elegant calligraphy script and I knew straight away this was a letter from Eric.

I tried not to think about that disastrous training session the previous night. It had been just horrible: not only Eric had known straight away that I was having my first period (well, he _was_ a Vampire, what did I expect?) but I was certain he'd been able to tell I had been having naughty dreams about him (damn bond!). It was embarrassing enough that _I_ knew about it, but him knowing made it a 100 times worse. Any time he touched me, I kept having flashbacks from the dreams and, to make things worse, he'd been acting really weird himself. I'm pretty sure he was thinking about something other than katas because I'd caught glimpses of a very suspicious bump in his pants a few times during the evening. I had been relieved when he'd called the whole thing off but then I'd been worried he was upset with me, so finding that he'd written to me put me in a very good mood.

I grabbed the letter and scampered upstairs. Once in my room, I put it down on my nightstand and went to the bathroom to dry my hair and change into comfy sweats. At last, I lounged on my bed and carefully opened the envelope. The paper inside was just as luxurious as the outside and I brightened when I saw that Eric had written in Swedish, 'our' language.

I began to read, a smile playing on my lips, but it quickly faded. The longer I went on, the more distraught I felt, and I was outright crying when I reached the end.

_My Sookie,_

_please forgive me for not dropping this letter off in person but, after last night's events, I thought you would enjoy some space._

_First of all, I believe you deserve an explanation for what is happening to you._

_As you already know, Vampire blood has various effects on humans who ingest it. One of these effects is the increasing of libido, or sexual urges. Until recently, you were immune to this particular influence, but recent changes in your biology have made you receptive._

_If, as I suspect, you have been newly overwhelmed with dreams and impulses of a sexual nature, do not be alarmed: it is merely the effect of the blood and will fade with time._

_I cannot guarantee with any precision how long it will take for your body to expunge all of my blood (it could be weeks, it could be months) but know that the dreams will stop eventually. In the meantime, I will ask you to please accept my apologies for not having anticipated the problem. In order not to compound the issue, I will refrain from any direct association with you from now on until it is safe again for both of us to resume a close friendship._

_Know that, just because I am not seen, it does not mean I am not there. I will always watch over you and keep you safe, even if from a distance._

_You are forever on my mind, and in my heart,_

_E_

* * *

**A/N**: This chapter marks the end of the first part of the story. Next chapter will occur after a time jump.

I know that many of you have enjoyed the interaction between Eric and 'Baby Sookie' but all good things must come to an end. This is, after all, a romance, so Sookie has to grow-up at some point.

To those who wish I had spent more time dwelling on Sookie's younger years, may I recommend the story _River Man_ by **vikinglover elle**? I was directed towards this brilliant fic by a reviewer and was amazed to find out that elle and I had independently came up with a similar concept, although we chose to execute it in a quite different manner.

You can find this beautifully written story on my favourite list in my profile (it is currently number 17).

Thank you for reading. Next chapter **Gone in 60 seconds** should be up by the end of next week.


	7. Gone in 60 Seconds

**A/N**: I just would like to remind my kind readers that this story is rated **M** for a reason. If you are not comfortable with crude language and sexual situations, now might be a good time to look away.

Song for this chapter:_ Wish I didn't miss You _by Angie Stone

* * *

**Chapter 7 – GONE IN 60 SECONDS**

**SPOV**

I awoke to the smell of bacon drifting from the kitchen downstairs. Humming my pleasure, I rolled on my side and closed my eyes to steal a few more minutes of stillness.

Today was a beautiful day; today was my 16th birthday.

As I had done almost every morning for the past three years, I reached out to the drawer of my bedside table to retrieve Eric's note. The thick envelope was slightly stained in places and the letter showed signs of wear and tear as the result of near-daily handling. Leisurely, tenderly even, I traced over the words with the pad of my fingertips. I no longer had any need to read the actual message, as I knew every single word of every sentence by heart. I brought the paper to my nose, straining to discern a scent that I knew was no longer there, then softly pressed my lips to the ink.

On this sheet, heartbreaking words had been laid. Words of farewell, but also words of love.

'_You are forever on my mind, and in my heart'_

I thought back in frustration to the last time I saw Eric, how my bratty behavior had soured the evening and how, as he was departing, I'd failed to hold him in my arms. Had I known this would be the last time I would see him, I would have clung to his body and whispered how much I loved him in his ear.

In the beginning, I had contemplated calling at him through the bond, but had swiftly dismissed the idea. I wanted him to come to me of his own volition; I would not beg and I would not trick him.

'_I will always watch over you and keep you safe, even if from a distance.'_

As it turned out, I hadn't needed much rescuing; the past three years had been rather uneventful… with one exception. Shuddering, I recalled what I'd come to refer to as 'The Benoit Episode'.

I'd always had a good relationship with Mr. Benoit, my swim coach, but his behavior towards me had changed around the time I'd turned 15. I'd tried dismissing it at first but, when I caught him staring at my ass during a practice session, I couldn't ignore the warning signs anymore. I'd dropped my shields and dipped into his mind. There, I'd found a collection of pornographic home movies, all of them starring yours truly. That was the filthiest thing I'd ever seen.

Despite the fact that I was now aware that he was a huge perv, I hadn't been able to do anything about it: so long he kept his hands to himself there wasn't anything tangible I could use against him. I'd checked into the heads of all of my teammates to find that he hadn't molested any of them so that put me at ease.

His gross ogling had gotten worse over the following two months but I'd done my best to ignore it and had given him a wide berth outside of swim classes.

One Saturday, he'd scheduled an extra training session ahead of an important competition. He'd dismissed my teammates after a couple of hours but held me back to make me work on my back crawl. After another hour of back and forth pool lengths, he'd finally called it a day.

I'd been in the shower, massaging my sore muscles under the hot water, when I'd sensed him approach. After I'd discovered what a creep he was, I'd always been careful to keep my shields on what I called 'Background Mode' whenever he was around. It was a setting that filtered most people's thoughts (except for the loud broadcasters) but still allowed me to have enhanced awareness of my surroundings.

I'd dropped my shields and been hit by mental images of me writhing on the tiled floor of the locker room as he slid his fingers inside me. Before he even had a chance to lay a hand on me, or even realize what was happening, I'd spun round and kicked him in the shin to make him bend over. As soon as his torso had been within my reach, I'd landed a blow on his solar plexus with the flat of my hand, which caused him to lose his breath and his balance, then I'd pushed him backwards. He'd landed painfully on his back.

The whole attack had lasted maybe four seconds, but it took him well over two minutes to recover enough to speak (Eric had taught me well). All this time, I'd stood over him, glaring at him with utter contempt. I hadn't even bothered covering up, as I'd wanted him to forever associate my naked body with his pain and humiliation.

When he'd regained a bit of composure, he'd showered me with all the boring misogynistic insults all woman-haters like to use. I'd rolled my eyes when he'd begun threatening to throw me off the team and sue me for assault. I could read in his mind that he intended to blackmail me into doing all sorts of disgusting things with him. Calmly, I'd crept into his subconscious and plucked out all his dirty secrets, then proceeded to confront him with my discoveries. I'd enjoyed the look of utter terror in his eyes as he'd listened to me listing all the ways he had screwed over his friends and family (and the IRS too, apparently) and how delighted I would be to spend my Sunday sending anonymous letters, if he didn't back off.

After calling me a freak and a demon-spawn (he would know, being as he was probably on a first-name basis with Satan), he'd made a hasty retreat. However, as he'd been walking away, I'd caught him thinking about how he would turn his attentions onto another girl from the team, since I was being so 'difficult'.

I'd felt my rage boil and had begun picturing a 1,000 ways I could end his miserable life when I'd suddenly felt a sharp pain in my head. Simultaneously, Mr. Benoit had collapsed. I'd dashed to his side only to realize, to my dismay, that he was dead.

Claudine had appeared seconds later: she'd felt my distress and had come to the rescue. After quickly accessing the situation, she had taken control. First off, she'd used her Magic to wipe out all traces of the blows I'd landed on Mr. Benoit's body, then she'd told me to get dressed and call an ambulance. She'd stayed with me until the aid workers arrived and even managed to get me to calm down. Later, detective Bellefleur had come to take my statement. As agreed with Claudine, I didn't say anything about the rape attempt and had instead claimed that Mr. Benoit had come to talk to me about the competition when he'd collapsed.

I'd been beyond relieved when Gran had come to pick me up and driven me home.

Mr. Benoit's cause of death was declared to be a brain aneurism, but when I'd quizzed the coroner, Mike Spencer, about it one day after church, I'd gotten from his mind that this was not quite the whole truth. Apparently, Mr. Benoit's brain had looked as though it'd been microwaved.

Needless to say, I gave up on competitive swimming soon after.

I shook the unpleasant memory from my mind and focused on the day ahead.

I knew that Scarlett and Tara had been putting together a 'surprise' party. I'd known for weeks what they were up to, of course, but I played dumb and intended on putting my best 'OMG' face on when the time of the big reveal came.

I was truly looking forward to spending time with the girls. I was pretty popular at school but the only people I genuinely felt close to were Gran, Tara and Scarlett. I loved Jason but I'd always felt like he saw me as the competition (for our parent's attention, then for Gran's affections), and we'd grown apart over the years. He'd moved into our parents' house straight out of high school and had recently found a construction job in Shreveport. Gran was getting on as she always had, not letting creeping old age slow her down. She'd been a rock for me and we were devoted to each other. However, there were subjects I could not discuss with her, Eric being one of those. She and the girls had been immensely supportive after Eric had left, even though they hadn't understood why I'd been so down, and I was grateful for their presence in my life.

I'd know Tara since kindergarten; she was a sweet girl with abusive parents who, as soon as she'd been old enough, had often sought shelter at my home. Scarlett and I had became friends later, during 7th grade. She was a year older, since I'd been bumped up a grade, but we got on amazingly well; although we had gone through an awkward phase soon after I'd turned 14.

We'd decided to practice kissing boys on each other but I became worried when she started wanting to do _lots _of practicing and even attempted to randomly hold my hand. After a week of such behavior, she'd finally picked up on my unease and calmed down. I cannot say I was surprised when she came out to Tara and me a few months later. Of course, I offered her my full support; I was just grateful that I had not lost her friendship over my rejection of her romantic advances. She would still tease me from time to time and joke that I'd an open invitation to 'question my sexuality' in her arms, but she'd accepted that I was straight.

Scarlett was far from the only person to show me some interest. To be totally honest, I had my pick of dates, but I guess that's what having blonde hair and big boobs will do for you. After I'd given up swimming, I'd gotten a bit slack about my workout regime and that, plus the fact that I was a natural hourglass, meant that I'd developed a rather curvaceous figure. Guys didn't seem to mind, though, and I'd kept the habit of doing martial-arts katas at least twice a week to keep my muscles supple. Unlike Tara, who was also pretty popular, I was still a virgin, never having taken a serious interest in any of the boys.

It's not to say that I didn't date. I'd had my first boyfriend at 14 (a 16-year-old boy named Tommy) and many had followed after that, but I would always break things off as soon as they began developing deeper feelings for me. I'm not particularly proud to say I broke a few hearts; I never set out to hurt anyone, I just didn't want to get close to anybody.

The one exception was JB DuRone, my boyfriend of four months, and the only guy I'd been with long enough to actually introduce to Gran. JB was sweet and good-looking, but sadly not the sharpest tool in the shed. Still, he was loyal and kind, and that was exactly what I needed at this time in my life. What I liked best in him was that he wasn't full of demands, unlike my previous boyfriends. He took what I had to give, never angling for more, and made feel genuinely safe and appreciated.

But JB wasn't Eric. None of them was.

These boys… hell, who was I kidding? These _kids,_ did not, _could not_, hold a candle to my Vampire. Eric had been gone for three years now, and I missed him terribly. He was the object of many of my thoughts and of all of my desires. If I was honest with myself, he was the reason why I could not stand real intimacy (physical or emotional) with any boy, despite my natural curiosity and raging hormones. Even JB was kept at arm's length.

At night, when I was pleasing myself in my bed, images and memories of Eric would fill my mind. The dreams had stopped, like he'd promised they would, but I'd replaced them with fantasies of my own making. I would remember his unique scent, the softness of his skin, the silky feel of his hair, the touch of his lips and the coolness of his embrace. I would even recall the look of his naked body, from the only time I had ever see him disrobed, on our very first meeting. At the time, I'd been too scared to even register his nakedness, but the memory was etched in my brain. I chuckled while reminiscing at the impression he had made on me: to my childhood self, he'd come across as a bona fide giant. A _very_ proportional giant. I knew I could not trust my six-year-old brain to have memorized a realistic likeness of Eric's… mini me; or at least I assumed I couldn't, otherwise _damn_! That was a Weapon of Mass Destruction right there. I knew my fixation was unhealthy; I knew I needed to stop pitting all the men in my life against a perfect - but ultimately inaccurate - memory, yet I did not know how to let go.

After replacing Eric's letter in its drawer, I got out of bed, took a quick shower and put on a red summer dress with white polka dots, before joining Gran downstairs for breakfast. After I'd helped her clean up the dishes, she sat me down on the sofa in the living room and gave me my present. It was a gorgeous set of pearl and diamond earrings, and were one the few family heirlooms beside real-estate she had left. I was brought to tears by the gesture and hugged her tight.

Soon after, Scarlett and Tara had come to pick me up to drag me to Shreveport for a shopping spree. Gran had asked Jason to chaperone us but we knew he would shake us off as soon as possible and we would be left to do as we pleased. After some retail therapy, we had lunch at one of Shreveport's best seafood restaurant (Scarlett's treat) then we headed back to Bon Temps.

When we got home, I acted surprised to find my friends from school waiting for me in the decked-out living room. Gran had cooked up a storm and JB had put up party decorations everywhere. I greeted him with a deep kiss for his trouble and gave Tara and Scarlett extra hugs. I was genuinely touched by so much kindness.

Gran had made herself scarce, opting to spend the evening at one of her church friends' home so we 'kids' could have some fun. It was just as well: some of the guests had sneaked in alcohol and I was quite tipsy by the time the party wound down. We danced, drank, played games and stuffed ourselves with Gran's outrageously good cakes until we could barely stand. When the time came to open my presents, I made the mistake of unsealing Scarlett's gift in front of everybody. I should have known better. My jaw dropped when I saw the huge pink vibrator she'd brought me, complete with a big enough battery supply to last me a decade.

Finally, the festivities came to an end and all the guests took their leave, except for my two best friends and my boyfriend, who stayed to help me clean up. By the time we were done, it was dark outside and we were all felling a bit tired. We agreed to watch a movie and I went upstairs to my room to pick some VHS.

As I opened the door, a large object propped on my bed caught my eyes.

I came to a halt as I took in the sight: an acoustic guitar wrapped in a huge red bow had been carefully laid in the middle of the bed. I came closer and examined the instrument. It was brand-new and absolutely gorgeous, with a gleaming cedar top and mahogany back and sides. I'd admired this model in the shop where I'd bought my second-hand guitar a couple of months ago when I'd started learning to play, but it had been way too expensive for me to even consider it. Tucked beneath the bow was a large envelope with my name written in beautifully calligraphy. As soon as I saw it, I knew who the present was from. I extended a trembling hand and carefully opened the thick envelope. Inside was a single cream note card with a short message penned in an elegant script:

_Because you are always on my mind,_

_E_

This was the first time in three years that I'd heard anything from Eric. I stood motionless for a minute, my eyes reading the note over and over, until a wave of sheer rage overtook me. Tossing the card away, I grabbed the guitar by the neck and threw it violently against the wall. I watched as it smashed into a dozen fragments on impact. Still fuming, I moved towards the scraps and stomped on the bigger pieces. When they were satisfyingly reduced to smithereens, I yelled at the wall:

"I'm _always_ on your mind? Then where the FUCK are you?"

The commotion had obviously been heard downstairs because JB came crashing into the room with a worried look on his face.

"Honey, what's going on?"

He took in the devastation then looked back at me in shock.

I didn't think.

I rushed towards him and laid a searing kiss on his lips. After closing and locking the door behind us, I pulled him backward in the direction of the bed until I felt the edge of the mattress behind my knees. Breaking the kiss, I held his gaze and declared:

"JB, I want to do this."

"What do you mean?" He asked, confusion plain on his face.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. _Dude, can't you recognize a done deal when it's belly-dancing right into your face?_ Instead, I breathed:

"I want us to make love."

JB's face broke into a large grin and he slid his hands onto my ass.

"Oh, honey, I'd been hoping you'd say that for _ages_."

_Gee! We've been dating for barely four months, how do you define 'ages' exactly? _

I knew I had to shut him up before he put me out of my lusty mood with his idiotic statements, so I resumed kissing him and dragged him down onto the bed with me. We made out for a while, rolling around on the comforter, before I started fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. He took the hint and pulled my dress open. Soon, I was in nothing but my underwear. JB raised himself on his forearms to look me over.

"You're so beautiful," he said reverently.

I felt empowered by the look of admiration and lust in his eyes; God knew I needed to feel desired right now. JB battled with my bra clasp and when it was clear he wasn't getting anywhere soon I reached behind my back and opened it for him. As soon as my breasts were free of lace, JB let out a breath and glanced up at me.

"Can… can I touch them?"

_That's the general idea, buddy._

I got hold of his hands and placed them over my chest.

"You can touch me anywhere," I breathed huskily.

JB grabbed at my breasts excitedly and began twisting them in a sort of clock-wise/counter-clock-wise alternative motion.

_What the hell? Does he think those things are bolted on? _

I was quickly losing patience and could already tell we would be going nowhere at this rate so I decided to take charge of the situation.

"Baby, why don't you kiss me down there?" I coyly suggested.

JB thankfully didn't protest and slid down the bed to prop himself over my hips. I slipped out of my panties and spread my thighs wide open. _Let's make it easy for him._

JB looked up and smiled at me then bowed his head and… started tentatively lapping at my slit, as if licking some spilled gravy from his fingers.

_Excuse __me? What am I? A bowl of freaking milk?_

"Don't hold back, baby," I gently encouraged.

"I'm not," came the answer.

_Great! Fuck me gently with a chainsaw._

By now I was plain aggravated and was starting to think of ways to politely pull a stop to this train-wreck. Hell, what train-wreck? We had yet to leave the station, as far as I was concerned.

JB chose this moment to stop his pathetic attempt as pussy-eating _(thank God for small blessings)_ and climbed back up the bed. He was smiling smugly, as if he'd just discovered the cure to cancer. _Dude, did we attend the same gig?_

Looking at his happy and eager face, I felt guilty about wanting to end things now. I was the one who had started all this; JB had always been the perfect gentleman and had never pressured me for sex. I knew how lucky I was to have found such a sweet guy (Tara was always telling me about how her boyfriends constantly harassed her). At the same time, I knew we were headed for disaster and I didn't want my first time to be a bad memory. I dithered while we made out some more before finally resolving to go ahead with this. I just didn't have the heart to reject him now. I consoled myself by thinking that, since he was rather small, it would not be too painful (I'd been given a glimpse the previous month courtesy of a _Truth or Dare_ gaming session).

I broke from our kiss and started unbuckling his belt. JB was now breathing heavily down my neck, his excitement peaking as he knew what was coming. I wanted to die.

When I finally wriggled him out of his pants and Y-fronts (_Y-fronts? Dude!_), my heart sank: apparently, JB was a grower, not a shower. Damn, this was going to hurt! I needed to think fast about ways to relax since he had done such a piss-poor job at arousing me so far. I thought of dropping my shields, thinking that I might become less tense if I didn't use extra mental energy to keep them up. It made no difference. The truth is, I hardly had to make any effort at all to keep my mental barriers up: they were very strong and came almost naturally to me as a result of the training and powerful Vampire blood I had received from Eric throughout my childhood.

_Eric_. God, I couldn't be thinking of him right now. He was the one who got me into that mess in the first place. I felt my anger rise again.

JB's mind was a litany of _'Oh God! I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna do it! Oh my God! Her tits are so great! I'm gonna do it! I can't wait to tell the guys!'_ I quickly shut down the mental diarrhoea and steeled myself up for the next act.

I took his cock in my hand and began stroking him a bit _(__one__ of us might as well enjoy this)_ and was about to ask him if he had any condoms when I felt him tense in my arms and heard him cry out. His body trembled briefly as I felt a warm dash of liquid spill onto my hand and thighs. I looked down in disbelief to see that JB had in fact, err, come all over me.

… Oh!

Well, _this is awkward_.

After the shock subsided, I lifted myself from the bed and went into the bathroom to clean up. I didn't know whether to be mortified or to laugh out loud but, while I rubbed a damp cloth over myself, I found that the dominant feeling was relief.

I was still a virgin. I still had a chance at a 'proper' first time. Disaster had been averted.

When I came back to the bedroom, JB was seated on the bed, looking utterly defeated. I immediately went to hug and kiss him. I felt sorry for him, and was angry with myself. None of this was his fault: he had never been anything but sweet to me and I had used him as an outlet to vent my frustration and anger. He hadn't deserved any of this, and I plainly didn't deserve him.

I needed to be alone and sort out my issues; I couldn't be involved in a relationship where I had nothing real to offer just because it was convenient and it made me feel less alone.

_Sookie Stackhouse, when did you become a user?_

As I murmured soft reassurances into JB ears, I resolved to gently end our relationship within the fortnight: it would be best for both of us.

One thing was certain: I would never be able to truly give myself to another man as long as Eric Northman was the one occupying my dreams.

* * *

**A/N**: So, I hope the title of this chapter makes sense now. Also, you get bonus points for getting the 'chainsaw' reference. For the record, I like JB very much, as a character, but he's simply not the right man for Sookie.

Next chapter **Never Let Me Go** will be posted on Saturday morning.


	8. Never Let Me Go

**A/N**: For this chapter, I've borrowed one of my favourite quotes from the books. You'll know it when you see it.

Song for this chapter: _I don't want to miss a thing_ by Aerosmith

* * *

**Chapter 8 – NEVER LET ME GO**

**SPOV**

"Sookie, dear, is that the last of it?" Gran called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yep! After this I only have to pack up some toiletries and I'm good to go," I replied while dragging the last suitcase down the steps. Once I reached the ground floor, I loaded the baggage in the back of the mini-van parked outside, and closed the doors.

Gran and I'd spent the morning packing up my most of belongings as I prepared to move into Jason's apartment in Shreveport for the summer. I'd found a job at a day care center in Shreveport and, after much insistence from Gran, my brother had agreed to surrender his extra bedroom to me until I could move into my dorm at the beginning of September.

I'd earned a place at LSU to study management and, thanks to my hard work, I'd won a scholarship and would see all my school fees taken care of. Unfortunately, I still had to pay for part of my dorm accommodation's rent, which is why I'd taken the day care job, until I could find something better. The pay was pretty bad but, at barely 17, I had few other options: I could not yet serve alcohol so waitressing was not an option, and it's not like I could openly market my little quirk. Of course, that would change once I'd completed my degree. I'd chosen management as I'd figured that, with my quirk, I would be successful as head of human resources, or in a similar position that required a strong ability to read people; because, let's be honest, nobody 'read' people as well as I did.

I'd elected to celebrate my 17th birthday quietly, unlike the boisterous party from last year. Gran had already given me my present - it was the driver's license she'd paid for all through the school year - and, later in the day, the girls were taking me out to lunch to Merlotte's, the Bar and Grill place that had recently opened, then I would drive to Shreveport in the van Jason had loaned me. I'd been feeling guilty about leaving Gran, as she wasn't getting younger, but she'd reassured me, claiming that she would enjoy getting more involved in church activities. She'd also threatened to kick me out if I didn't accept the LSU offer, as she was immensely proud that I was about to become the first Stackhouse to be university-educated.

After checking that everything was set, I took a shower to wash off the sweat and dust from my body, then put on a summer dress.

Scarlett and Tara arrived soon after. Tara's gift was a custom wrap dress made of dark cotton with green polka dots. She'd designed and sewn it herself and I was absolutely delighted by her thoughtfulness, especially as I knew she loved fashion and hoped to own her own shop, one day. I immediately went back to my room to change into my present.

When Scarlett handed me my gift, I eyed the medium-sized package suspiciously.

"What is it this time? Crotchless panties?"

"Nope, I'm saving those for your wedding," she giggled.

The present turned out to be a Polaroid camera, which Scarlett rushed to put to good use by taking a picture of me in the garden. We watched, fascinated, as the film developed under our eyes, before Scarlett labeled it with a marker and slipped it in my wallet.

When we arrived at the parking lot of Merlotte's, I dropped my shields and, as was customary anytime I visited a new location, I took a sweep of my surroundings. Bon Temps' finest seemed to have converged on the new watering hole but, apart from a couple of drunks, the place was safe. The bar was packed so we had to share a booth with Hoyt Fortenberry, one of Jason's childhood friends, and one of his road-construction crewmembers. Since we hadn't been carded, Scarlett tried to order us a pitcher of beer but I nipped the idea in the bud by pointing out that the Sheriff was sat two booths away. While we waited for our food to be delivered, I chatted with Hoyt and informed him that Jason had recently been promoted to crew leader at his job in Shreveport.

Our lunch arrived 15 minutes later and we gorged on deliciously trashy burgers and fries, all washed down with Coke (and beer, for Tara, who'd been flirting up a storm with Hoyt and sipping from his glass). Tara encouraged me to go talk to the owner, who was bartending, when she noticed me discreetly glancing at him. Contrary to what she thought, my interest in him wasn't romantic: I'd discerned from his brain signature that he was some type of Were-animal, and I was wondering if he'd ever met a certain Vampire.

Since last year's fiasco, I'd been very disciplined about reducing the amount of time I spent thinking about Eric. In fact, for the past five months, I'd been real good at keeping him out of my mind altogether. I'd realized that it could be years before I saw him again (his letter had been cryptic, to say the least), and that I had to stop my ridiculous teenage obsession over him.

I'd moved on, but I'd yet to get back on the dating scene and I'd been happily single since breaking up with JB last year. Scarlett had been ecstatic that I'd apparently sworn off men, but I'd quickly disillusioned her: I was on a hiatus, I wasn't changing teams. This would change once I started Uni, however, as I had no intention of being the only celibate freshman in Louisiana. To be honest, the time alone did me good. Between the stress of university applications and graduation exams, I hadn't had much time to waste on boys, anyway; and it's not like the dating pool of Bon Temps was particularly stellar.

After we'd finished our carb orgy, I hugged Tara goodbye then Scarlett drove me back home. Before I began the journey to Shreveport, Gran handed me a heatproof case full of home-cooked dishes, as she knew I'd most likely find Jason's fridge either empty or filled with leftover pizza. I doubted the food would last more than 24 hours, with our combined appetites, but I was grateful all the same. Saying goodbye to Gran was emotional, but Jason had promised to drive me back home every weekend, so it would only be a few days before I saw her again.

Finally, I was off. The journey was uneventful and I arrived at my brother's apartment three hours later. I was impressed by how smart the building he lived in looked. As far as I knew, construction jobs didn't pay extravagantly, even when taking into account his recent promotion. I had to check in with the custodian in the lobby; I could see lots of security cameras and I was sure there was much more concealed from sight. A personalized magnetic card was needed to operate the elevator and, once I got into the apartment, I had to enter a security code to de-activate the alarm system. Jason's unit was situated on the fourth floor and was facing a small neighborhood park. The living areas were spacious, well furnished and well appointed, and my bedroom was large enough to comfortably house a king-size bed, a sturdy desk and a wide wardrobe; and there was plenty of space left to add other furniture. The en-suite bathroom was decked-out with very modern-looking appliances: the shower alone looked like it came with a 200-page instruction manual and the bath was a Jacuzzi. I didn't know much about Shreveport real-estate but I seriously doubted Jason could afford such luxury on his construction-crew leader salary, and I began to wonder what my brother had gotten involved in.

As expected, the fridge was full of junk food. I cleaned it out then proceeded to stock it with Gran's dishes. I also pinned my Polaroid picture on the fridge's door, just to symbolically mark my territory and make my new digs feel a little bit homier. I made a mental note to discuss grocery budgets with Jason: since I would not be paying a rent, I would make sure to pull my weight in the form of home-cooked meals. The luxurious kitchen would have had Gran salivating, and I intended to put it to better use than Jason did. My brother was working until 7 p.m. today, so I decided to use the quiet to settle in my new room then go for a walk in the park downstairs. The neighborhood was really lovely and, on my way back to the apartment, I met the woman who occupied one of the two other units on the floor. She was a well-to-do lawyer, which confirmed my hunch that the rent for Jason's home was most likely way out of his financial league. I was going to have a serious talk with my brother.

I'd just finished warming up some fried chicken when Jason came in, with a Creole beauty in tow. He hadn't mentioned a girlfriend but I guess that, considering his track record, female company had to be expected. I just hoped the walls were thick and soundproof, because Jason didn't do platonic, ever. My brother greeted me with a hug.

"Hey Sook! Happy Birthday!" Sniffing the air, he then dove in straight for the oven. "Humm, smells good! Did you bring some food from Gran?"

Since I knew I'd just lost Jason, I turned to the girl to introduce myself, and saw her roll her eyes.

"That boy and his food!" she giggled, and I joined her.

"Hi! I'm Sookie, Jason's sister," I said, extending my hand.

"Tatiana," she replied with a smile.

She was truly lovely, with her large hazel eyes and bountiful dark curls, and seemed sweet. I used the opportunity provided by our brief hand contact to sneak discreetly into her mind and saw her genuine love for my brother and her good disposition toward me. Jason chose this moment to emerge from below decks, his mouth stuffed with two portions of chicken, and announced between gnawing that he would be sleeping over at Tatiana's tonight.

Hi, Little Sister! Thanks for the food, Little Sister! Bye, Little Sister!

I rolled my eyes at my brother's callousness - he truly hadn't changed - but I was also grateful that I would not stand witness to his amorous antics. Tatiana made up for his rudeness by sweetly offering to show me around town the next day. I happily accepted her offer and we exchanged numbers. After she'd excused herself to the bathroom, Jason turned to me and asked solemnly:

"What do you think of her?"

His tone made me hesitate, as I wasn't sure whether he asking for my opinion based on the normal social cues I'd picked on, or based on what I may have 'read' from her mind.

I'd often wondered whether Jason knew of my quirk. He'd noticed something was different with me when I was very young, of course, but when my strange behavior had (outwardly) changed after my kidnapping, he, like many others, had assumed I'd been cured and after that we had never discussed my previous oddities. Moments like this, however, made me question just how oblivious he really was. I knew Jason was scatterbrained and somewhat ignorant, but he wasn't as stupid as people assumed. I scrutinized him for a few seconds before answering:

"I like her. She's very _genuine_."

I hoped the emphasis I'd put on the last word would give him enough of a hint in case his question had been angled in the way I'd suspected. He nodded and gave me another hug.

"Bye Sook! See ya tomorrow night. Be good and don't finish up all the beer!"

I rolled my eyes and waved goodbye at Tatiana as she left with my brother. I still hadn't had the talk I'd planned to have with him but there was no way I would bring up money issues in front of a stranger.

I called Gran to check up on her then I spent the next hour chatting on the phone with Scarlett while eating my dinner. By the time we'd say goodbye, I was ready to lie in bed and read a good book before calling it a night. First off, though, what I needed was a good soak. After struggling for a bit to figure out how the Jacuzzi worked, I enjoyed the most relaxing bath I've ever had (so _that's _what the fuss is about). I was feeling thoroughly cleaned, pampered and relaxed, but what I saw when I emerged from the bathroom stopped me dead in my track.

Floating outside the window, was the massive form of the Vampire I'd been spending the greater part of the past four years obsessing over. I stared in stunned silence for what seemed to be an eternity, hardly believing my senses. I closed my eyes and, when I re-opened them, he was still there. It then occurred to me that there was a flying Vampire outside my window, and that getting him inside before somebody noticed him would be a smart idea. Numbly, I walked towards the window and opened it.

Then I waited.

He did not move a muscle, but kept staring at me as intently as I was, his face neutral but his gaze intense. After a heavy minute of silence, he spoke, his voice like velvet drawn across sand:

"You have to invite me in, Sookie."

Of course, shell-shocked as I was, I'd forgotten the most basic Vampiric rule. Gulping, I declared in a shaky voice:

"Please come in, Eric."

He landed gracefully on the floor then took a few steps back, so that we stood roughly five feet apart. Neither of us was speaking, and my hand was still holding onto the window knob.

Eric was running his eyes up and down my body, drinking me in, and I was doing exactly the same thing to him.

_God_, he was even more gorgeous than I'd remembered. I knew he had not physically changed in the slightest since the last time I saw him but I couldn't help but eye his physique with a newfound appreciation. I guess that, seeing him so frequently for years, I'd taken his beauty for granted so, now that I was confronted with it after having been starved of it for so long, I was overwhelmed. He was wearing dark jeans and a tight-fitting T-Shirt that worshiped every hard line and bump on his powerful upper body.

I suddenly became self-conscious as I realized that I was only covered-up by a white fluffy towel.

"Err, I have to change. Can you wait for a bit?" I asked awkwardly.

"Of course, Sookie. Do you want me to wait outside, in the corridor?"

"No!" I burst out, suddenly terrified that he might disappear again if I let him out of my sight. "Please, wait here, I'll just go into the bathroom."

He nodded and looked around him for a place to sit down before settling on the desk chair. I grabbed my nightgown and scurried into the bathroom. It took me 30 seconds to dress, and another three minutes of deep breathing to calm down enough to be able to face him. Finally, I re-entered the bedroom and settled on the bed.

His eyes never left me for a second; he was boring holes in my skull and I was struggling to hold his gaze. Still, I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of being the one to look away first, so I held steady. I did not conceal my smirk when he was the one to lower his eyes to stare at his hands, which were, oddly, fidgeting. I couldn't remember ever seeing Eric fidget, before tonight.

"You're tall," he stated.

His words took me by surprise. After all this time, we were going to do small talk? Really? I swallowed my frustration and opted to play along.

"I know," I replied, my voice sounding more assured than I felt. "I had a growth spurt at 14 and apparently I'm now the tallest Stackhouse woman on record. Gran doesn't know where it came from and…" a thought hit me. "Do you think it's your blood?"

"Maybe a latent effect, it's possible. Fairies are also pretty tall, so it could come from there."

I didn't add anything to his statement and an awkward silence stretched between us.

"Have you kept up with the training?" He was still not looking at me.

"Well, I haven't been as diligent as I could have been, but I'm still doing some martial-arts katas three times a week. I'm planning on getting back on track, though, and getting really fit again." I looked down at my curvaceous hips and added, mostly to myself. "I sure could lose a few pounds."

"I can hardly see how your body could stand any improvement," Eric quietly observed.

I looked up to see him staring at me. The heat I caught in his eyes made my body instantaneously respond with some warmth of its own. This time, I was the one to avert my eyes. Urgently needing to change the subject, I asked:

"How did you know where to find me?"

"I own the building." My head snapped up in surprise. "Your brother applied two days ago to have your name added to his mail box; that's how I knew you were moving in."

"You own the building?" I repeated, frowning. He nodded a confirmation.

"But how… how can Jason afford this place? I know you don't run a charity, so there's no way the rent is cheap." I was mostly thinking aloud, but Jason's housing situation had been bugging me since I arrived earlier this afternoon.

Eric chuckled.

"Something funny?" I questioned tightly.

"You always had a practical mind," he replied with a smirk. "You are correct that the building is upmarket, and that Jason should not be able to afford the rent here; but I gave him the apartment as part of his new benefits package when I recently had him promoted. It never occurred to him that this was anything out of the ordinary."

"Wait, what? _You_ had him promoted?"

"Yes, of course. I own the company Jason works for. Norse Construction?"

I gaped, totally taken by surprise.

"You…" I shook my head. "Of course you do... So Jason has been working for you all along." I paused. "Did you offer him the position because he was my brother?"

Eric shrugged his shoulders.

"He's good at his job," he stated simply.

"He must be," I retorted sarcastically, "for you to gift him this apartment."

"I knew there was some chance you might spend more time in Shreveport now that you are finished with school in Bon Temps, and I wanted to make sure you would have a good place to stay."

"You promoted Jason just so I would have a nice crash-pad?" I asked incredulously.

Eric eyed me sternly.

"This building may not look like it, but it's protected by the best of human technology and by Magical wards. For example, when I was outside the window, I was invisible to onlookers because of one of the wards that have been placed. It's an extremely safe place to stay, and you do know how much I care about your safety."

"Oh, OK. Thank you," I uttered, feeling rather shamed by my lack of gratitude. "I won a place at LSU, to study management," I transitioned smoothly.

"Congratulations." He didn't sound at all surprised by the news. I wondered if he'd already known and it made me think about another question that had been nagging me.

"How did you know I'd started to learn the guitar?"

"I told you that I would always be near, Sookie."

"You've been _spying_ on me?"

"I've been keeping tabs. I had to know you were safe."

"And stopping by to say hello would have been too big a strain on your busy schedule?" I was shocked by the bitterness of my tone but, try as I might, I could not conceal my hurt.

Eric let out an unnecessary breath.

"Sookie, every decision I've made has been for your benefit. I wanted you to have a normal childhood, to have a chance to experience what other girls your age do. Do you think I _wanted_ to stay away? Don't you think I've flown to you a 1,000 times only to change my mind mid-trip? Don't you think it has been torture to watch over you from afar yet never be able to come near?"

I listened to his outburst in stunned silence. Eric was very rarely emotional. He swiftly regained control of himself and declared:

"Sookie, if you have questions for me, I would prefer we went over them right now, rather then drag this uncomfortable situation out a minute longer than absolutely necessary."

"Fine!" I shot. "How long were you planning to stay away?"

"Originally? Until you were 20." My eyes grew wide. "It proved to be too difficult, though. I missed you." He shrugged and looked down his woven fingers. After a pause, he added:

"I almost did come to you, last year, on your birthday."

"Why didn't you?"

Eric gave me a significant look. It wasn't accusatory, but laden with an emotion I couldn't identify.

"You were not alone."

My eyes widened as comprehension downed on me.

"You… you _saw_ that? You were _there_?"

While I'd closed the door behind JB and me, I'd not closed the curtains. There was no need to worry about privacy where I lived; well, unless a Vampire was lurking out there, obviously.

"I had only come to watch your reaction to my present."

I flushed crimson as he raised an eyebrow and quipped:

"It was a very nice guitar, by the way."

"Eric, I'm so sorry," I blurted out, but his smirk told me that he did find the episode rather amusing, in hindsight.

"So… how much did you see, exactly?" I inquired, not meeting his eyes.

"I left soon after you expressed your dissatisfaction with my gift selection in no uncertain terms." His tone was dry but it didn't escape me that he had avoided mentioning the elephant in the room. When I remained silent, he added:

"Maybe a puppy, next time?"

I snorted at his joke, in spite of myself, but I was still concerned about how he might have misinterpreted the little he had seen. Without really understanding why, I felt the urge to tell him the whole truth.

"We didn't…" I trailed off. I was feeling embarrassed and my reaction pissed me off. What business of his was it, anyway?

"I know," he declared, startling me.

"What? I thought you said you'd left?"

"I did. But, you still smell… untouched."

"Oh." I'd forgotten that Vampires came equipped with their very own fertility/virginity/_insert super intimate quality _detector.

We were quiet once more. Since I didn't put any question forward, he was the one to break the silence.

"Are you seeing anyone?"

"No. I haven't been dating for quite a while."

His eyes narrowed as he asked:

"Why not?"

"What do you mean? Do I need a reason to be single?"

"You're an extremely desirable woman, Sookie. I just thought you would not want for male suitors, that's all."

I couldn't help but feeling flushed at hearing him describe me as desirable, and even more at his calling me a woman.

"I'm single because it's my choice, not because I can't get a date."

Eric nodded and went back to staring at his hands. I suddenly realized I'd been extremely rude to him and had not even bothered to ask him how _he_ had been.

"How have things been going for you?" I inquired.

Eric looked up and gave me a weary look.

"Vampires' politics," he simply stated.

I couldn't help but laugh, as I knew how much he hated that crap. My reaction caused him to give me a heartfelt smile.

"I've missed the sound of your laughter," he said.

My smile immediately faded.

"Yeah, well, you've missed a lot of things." Again, _that_ tone.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I met his gaze again, he was back to sporting a neutral expression on his face.

"Eric, I'm sorry…" My words were coming out in burst, as I was losing control over my emotions. "I don't mean to behave like such a bitch. It's just… I've missed you so much, and..."

He cut through my ramblings.

"You're upset, and it's my fault. I've handled the situation poorly, I can see that now."

"I still don't understand why you went away," I whispered.

"Didn't you read my letter?" he asked, startled.

I glared at him.

"Of course I've read your letter! I've done very little else but read your damn letter! But that still doesn't explain why you stayed away for so long. The dreams stopped three years ago, Eric. And anyway, I could have gotten over my embarrassment; you didn't have to go." I knew I was whining, but his apparent abandonment had been eating away at me for four years.

Eric seemed to be weighing how much to tell me. After a brief hesitation, he explained:

"Yes, Sookie, I _had_ to go. The Fae essence in your blood came to maturity as you became fertile, and your human scent changed too and became more enticing. I could not stay around you any longer as it would have become increasingly difficult to control my reactions to the smell of your blood."

I stared at him, stunned.

"You… you left because I smelt _good_?"

Eric rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

"Sookie, you are trivializing a very serious issue. I _survive_ on blood, my entire body, all of my senses, are engineered to respond to blood; and yours happens to be one of the most alluring, one of the most _intoxicating_ I have ever smelled. Please do not act as if that isn't significant."

"But you've never had any trouble refraining from biting me."

"Things changed after your scent matured. And it wasn't so much the bloodlust that was an issue..."

I waited for him to continue and, when he didn't, I urged him:

"Eric, are we playing 20 questions? Can you spit it out already?"

He thought for a second then declared:

"I have already explained to you how sex and feeding are closely inter-linked for Vampires; you remember that, don't you?"

"Yes, and?"

I didn't understand what he was getting at. He'd told me that Vampires liked to have sex with their meals (that had been an awkward discussion, by the way) but, as long as he wasn't feeding from me, I couldn't see how that concerned me. Eric seemed frustrated by my lack of comprehension.

"Sookie, those two urges feed each other. The mere fact that I wanted to drink from you gave rise to another need."

He glanced at me expectantly and, this time, I got his drift.

"You wanted to have _sex_ with me?" I asked incredulously.

I looked back to the last time we'd been together, on the roof of the training dojo. I'd noticed his odd behavior and what I'd suspected was an erection, but it had never occurred to me until now that _I_ had been the cause of his arousal. Eric's voice brought me out of my musings.

"My body's reaction was automatic, Sookie. I would never have attempted anything untoward, of course, but the impulse was still there and it wasn't a healthy situation. Do you understand now why I had to leave?"

His explanation was perfectly logical, his motivation had been noble and I should have been feeling placated. Instead, I felt enraged. I'd gone through so much angst and shed so many tears because he'd been worried he couldn't keep his fangs (among other body parts) to himself? What the fuck?

I let irrational anger take over me and, standing up, I yelled at him:

"So, what? I turned 13 and you suddenly decided that you wanted to jump my bones, is that it? What happened, then? Did you take a fucking trip to Jersey?"

As soon as the words left my lips, I deeply regretted them. I had to bring up Uncle Bartlett! This was the first time my late uncle had been spoken of between us in 10 years. Eric had been the one responsible for saving me from certain rape by the old pedophile. He had glamoured Uncle Bartlett in front of me into stopping his abuse and moving to New Jersey (Uncle Bartlett had died in a road traffic accident shortly after), and here I was, crassly flinging him at Eric's face. Oh God! That was probably the lowest blow I'd ever landed.

I glanced at Eric from the corner of my eyes, too ashamed to face him. His face was an unreadable mask (damn Vampire poker face) but I was sure I'd deeply hurt him by lumping him with a man I knew we both hated.

My anger now deflated, I sat down on the bed and engulfed my face in my hands. The mention of Uncle Bartlett had brought up all sorts of buried feelings and memories to the surface, and I suddenly had to ask the question that had been at the back of my mind ever since my uncle's death.

I lowered my hands but kept my gaze fixed on my knees, still too embarrassed to look at Eric, and spoke up hesitantly:

"Eric... about Uncle Bartlett… there's something I need to know."

I waited for a reaction but he remained silent. I could feel his gaze on me however, so I proceeded:

"It's about his accident… Eric, did you… were you responsible for that?" I finally summoned the courage to meet his eyes. "Did you kill him?"

Eric's stare was steady and I still couldn't read him. Finally, he gave me a single nod.

"Oh my God!" I gasped.

I felt like an ancient dam had broken inside me and the tears began flowing freely down my cheeks. I buried my face in my hands once more and openly sobbed. After an indeterminate amount of time, I managed to calm down. Eric had remained motionless all through my mini-breakdown and when I turned my head to look at him, I could clearly see the hurt etched on his face.

I rose and closed the distance between us. He was observing me apprehensively and was clearly surprised when I tenderly cupped his face in my hands and whispered:

"Thank you."

"You're thanking me?" He exclaimed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," I breathed, still holding him.

"Weren't you just mourning him?" His tone was suspicious.

"What? No! Of course not! I hated his guts, you know that. He was a sick bastard!"

I knelt in front of Eric before explaining:

"It's just… Eric, I've buried so many emotions I had towards him, and for so long, and it just kind of came out right now. In a way, I'd never had any closure. But now I do. I know that you've made the bastard pay, and I'm so grateful!"

I half rose to wrap my arms around him and was pleased and relieved when he accepted and returned my embrace. Speaking into my hair, he said:

"I would have told you earlier if I'd known how relieved it would make you feel, but I was afraid you'd come to resent me."

"No Eric, you did the right thing; absolutely. Even back when I was a kid I knew his death was a blessing. I was so afraid he'd come back, or that if he really went away he would hurt some other kid, that when my parents told Jason and me of his death, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders."

Eric disengaged us and sat back in his chair. He lifted my chin with his fingers to make sure we were locking eyes:

"I had glamoured him to stay away from you and other little girls. I could have let him live, he would have been no danger."

He was studying my face intently, and I knew he was looking for absolute proof that I was not ambivalent about him murdering my uncle. Circling his fingers with mine, I replied:

"I know that Eric but, Bartlett's sickness, it's not something that you can cure, right? There were still so many ways he could have hurt people. He could have joined some pedo network and bought material from other perverts, or he could have enabled another predator, or he could have harassed some poor little girl. Even if he didn't touch her… his mere presence used to make me feel so terrible about myself… he was just so damn creepy." I knew I was rambling now. "The point is, I know there were probably other victims before Hadley and me, but I'm so glad the buck stopped at us, do you understand?"

Eric's shoulders visibly relaxed and he gave me a small smile.

The tension between us had been released but I knew I still had to apologize for my horrible words.

"Eric, I'm so sorry…"

Before I could finish, Eric silenced me by brushing a thumb over my lips. He bent down and laid a kiss on my forehead then looked into my eyes:

"I should have never left your side, Sookie; not without a better explanation, not in that manner. It was a terrible mistake, and one I will never make again."

I felt fresh tears pool in my eyes and threaten to spill.

"Thank you, Eric; you have no idea how much I needed to hear that. It was so hard, the uncertainty. I thought I would never see you again…"

I was quietly crying now, and Eric bent and tenderly licked at the moisture on my cheeks. We remained wrapped in each other for a while, oblivious of our surroundings. :

"I will never abandon you, little one," he stated, after a while.

He hadn't called me that for many years, not since I was a small child, but he instinctively knew that it was exactly what I needed to hear right now. Just this instant, I needed to be that tiny little girl who was certain that he would always watch over her and would never, ever, let her go.

**EPOV**

Holding Sookie in my arms felt like coming home. I could have spent the rest of the night – and most of the next few ones – with my nose buried in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent. The sound of her heart beating close to my chest was the most enchanting sound, only bettered by the music of her laughter or the soft notes of her voice.

Our reunion had been tense and heavy with hostility, at first; her hurt and frustration had been palpable, and I had realised with dismay how much I had mishandled the situation. My letter had not provided adequate justification for my prolonged absence, and Sookie had felt abandoned. After she had fully expressed her anger, we had reached a truce, but I knew it would take more than words of reassurances and an embrace to fully repair our relationship. I wanted her to trust me once again; I wanted her to rely on me; I wanted her affection. And now, more than ever, I wanted her to be mine.

I had been overwhelmed by the intensity of my reaction to her. I had missed her, of course, but I had not realised just how much, until I laid eyes on her. The tumble of emotions had taken me by surprise and left me almost trembling, as my body demanded that I grasp her tight to my chest, that I stroke her hair, that I kiss her lips. I had felt loss, and need, and lust, and hurt, and joy, but most of all, I had felt a deep affection, in some ways akin to what I felt towards Pam, but stronger, and more complex. My reaction to her presence had been too intense to be ignored and had crippled me so thoroughly that it took me a long time to regain my composure enough to be able to hold her gaze.

The balance of our relationship had been irreversibly upset. She now had the power to level me with a look and to influence my emotional responses to a degree that could be dangerous for both of us.

Watching her, I could only take notice of the fact that, as I had anticipated, she had become a stunning young woman. I had drunk in her voluptuous figure like a parched man drank water, and had barely been able to contain my lust. I wanted to bite her and to fuck her and to rub myself all over her.

But I would not.

I could smell that she not yet shed her innocence, and we had a long way to go until she had enough faith in me once again for us to even consider walking down that path. I would wait as long as needed; I would wait years. I was a patient man, and she had given me reason to be hopeful: at one point in our conversation, the unmistakable scent of her arousal had filled the air. She had been reacting to my own lust, mirroring it. I knew my blood could not be blamed this time – as she had herself confirmed, its effects had faded years ago – so it meant that she, or at least part of her, wanted me as I wanted her.

We remained lost in our embrace for a long time, until I felt her yawn against my shoulder. I gently disentangled us and carried her towards the bed. After she had glided under the covers, she surprised me by asking me to stay until she fell asleep. I lay on my side over the comforter, mindful not to invade her personal space, and she turned to face me. We did not touch and no words were exchanged, but the look she gave me spoke of contentment and happiness. After a while, she drifted away.

I stayed an hour more, merely watching her sleep, before carefully lifting myself off the bed. Before leaving, I made a quick inspection of the house. As I was about to check whether her fridge was suitably stocked with human food, a photograph pinned on the metal door caught my eyes. It was a Polaroid of Sookie, wearing a low-cut dress that put her tantalizing bounty on enough display to be mouth-watering without being vulgar. She was leaning against a wooden fence, a soft smile gracing her face, her expression a mix of innocence and coyness. I was captivated: it was Sookie as I had never seen her, bathed in sunlight.

I unpinned the picture and tucked it under my top, against my chest, and then I was gone.

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**A/N**: In my mind, the Sookie in this story looks like Rachel Hurd-Wood. If you wish to see the Polaroid Eric stole, please visit my profile.

Thank you for reading. Next chapter **The First Taste** will be posted on Wednesday morning.


	9. The First Taste

**A/N**: Lot of love to my Beta **All About Eric**. Her advices are invaluable and her dedication is the reason I can update twice a week.

Song for this chapter: _Wishing and Hoping_ by Ani Defranco

* * *

**Chapter 9 – THE FIRST TASTE**

**SPOV**

I awoke the next morning feeling wonderfully rested. Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was already past 9 a.m., which was a late start for me, but the previous evening had been emotionally draining. A smile danced on my lips as I thought back on last night's events: Eric was finally back in my life and, this time, I knew it was for good. I still felt slightly ashamed by some of the things I'd said to him but, in a way, I was glad that all the dirt had been spread on the table. I had a feeling that, now that we had been honest with each other (brutally so, in my case), we could move on.

Move on in what direction? That was the question. I already knew what I wanted as seeing him again had reaffirmed what I'd known for quite some time: Eric was _it_ for me. I'd just been deluding myself with all that talk of 'getting over him'. There was no getting over Eric Northman. And it was not just a teenage crush either, it was the way his mere presence made me feel: protected, valued, and cherished. Being in his arms felt like… home. No, my feelings for him were something real, something serious: I knew the kind of man he was, I knew what lay beneath the icy surface, I knew his heart, and I wanted it all.

But did Eric want me?

I still doubted that. He'd always been extremely protective of me, almost paternal, at times, and I wondered whether he would ever see me as anything but a child. I did feel like a 'grown-up' but, to him, the 1,000 year-old Vampire, would I ever be one? After last night, I was less sure of that than ever. I'd shown him a bratty side of myself that was probably going to make it very difficult for him to take me seriously, but I also knew that any other man would be second best, next to him.

Sighing, I rolled over, to face the side of the bed where Eric had lain last night. The pillow still bore the molding of his face and the sheets and mattress were still indented where his heavy frame had rested. I grabbed at the pillow and buried my face in it. His smell - his delicious smell - still lingered. Eric had told me that my smell was intoxicating to him, but I could easily say the exact same thing about him.

After lazing about for a few more minutes, I got up. I had a busy day ahead of me, as I needed to finish settling in before starting my new job tomorrow. I did my morning ablutions then headed to the kitchen. I immediately noticed that my Polaroid was missing from the fridge door and I smiled to myself at I though that Eric had wanted to keep a reminder of myself. I'd barely finished my breakfast when the phone rang. I expected it would be Tatiana, calling to make plans for today, but it turned out to be the custodian, warning me that a messenger was on his way to my apartment to deliver a package. I was puzzled as it was too soon for me to be receiving mail from anybody yet. Unless… Eric, of course!

When the package - a large rectangular box - arrived, I tipped the messenger than settled on the couch to open it. Inside, I found a laptop – my eyes bulged when I saw the distinctive Apple logo; I didn't know much about computers, but I knew those were the best and the most expensive – a red Nokia cell phone and an envelope. I put down the computer and the phone on the coffee table and opened the letter.

_My Sookie,_

_I hope you have enjoyed a restful night; you do look exceptionally peaceful when you sleep. _

_As you can see, I have made some purchases for you. I am told the phone I've selected for you is easy to operate but, if you encounter any issues, there is a detailed instruction manual in the box. Please keep the phone with you at all times. My personal numbers have already been pre-programmed and you have unlimited credit at your disposal (bills will be taken care of). Make use of it as you see fit, but be careful with whom you share your number._

_The computer is the most reliable on the market, although its operating system might seem a bit daunting at first. I have already arranged for an Apple technician to come and tutor you at your earliest convenience (his contact number is in your phone). You will need the laptop to keep in touch with me by e-mail (and for other purposes which we will be discussing later), but you are most welcome to use it for recreation or educational purposes once your start your University year._

_Also enclosed is a credit card in your name. I want you to purchase furniture to your liking for your bedroom, as I did notice yesterday that it looked quite spare, and I want you to feel at home. The card will be accepted in any shop in Shreveport but I recommend Northwood. It is the best choice (I would know, I own it). The account is credited to the amount of $15,000 and you may use the remaining credit as you see fit. _

_Lastly, I wish to speak with you tonight, as we need to discuss several things. I would prefer to meet at your home, unless your brother is present. I will call you before sunset to arrange the details._

_Until we meet again,_

_E_

I carefully read through the letter, twice. So Eric had stayed and watched me sleep last night? I didn't know what to make of that but it did make me happy. I can't say I was surprised at the high-handed way he had made extravagant purchases for me, set up accounts and arranged for appointments (Eric was nothing if not a 'taking care of business' kind of man), but my eyes bulged when I saw the figure that was now at my disposal. I had never had anywhere near that amount of cash; it would be enough to pay my contribution to the dorm's rent for three years and then some. I had no intention of accepting that kind of money and would have a talk about that with Eric when we met later today.

I'd already decided to keep the phone, as it was a security measure as much as a matter of convenience. I still had the pager but a cell phone would be much more practical, especially since we didn't have the bond anymore. The computer seemed a bit over-the-top but Eric had hinted it had an official purpose so I would wait to hear what he had to say before deciding whether to keep it or not. The furniture thing, however, was a no go. There was no way I was going to swan around town, spending Eric's money. No purpose denying that I would love to be Eric's girlfriend but, as they said in old movies, I wasn't his 'dame'.

My decision taken, I unwrapped the phone and spent 20 minutes familiarizing myself with it and programming in the numbers of my friends and family. When that was done, I called Tatiana. She sounded like she'd just woken up but was friendly and agreed to meet in front of my building in two hours.

I used the time to finish unpacking my stuff and change into a casual jeans and T-shirt outfit. Tatiana came to pick me up on time and we went around touring the city. She showed me the best local grocery shops and the malls, as well as the best entertainment spots. It turned out that she was a barmaid at a bar close to where Jason lived and that was how they had met. They'd been dating for five months, which was kind of an all-time record for Jason (not that I was in any place to judge), and they were talking about moving in together. I can't say I had much faith in my brother's ability to stay committed to a woman for an extended period of time, but I hoped Tatiana would be sticking around: she was a truly kind and generous person, not to mention absolutely gorgeous.

The afternoon went by in a flash and, as sunset neared, I hugged Tatiana goodbye and headed back to the apartment. As I was mounting a city bus, I caught sight of Amy, the Werewolf Eric had assigned to my protection years ago. I had felt her aura at the edge of my mind all afternoon but I had not seen her until then. Over the years, I'd gotten used to her frequent presence but I was a bit surprised she'd followed me all the way to Shreveport. I guessed Eric didn't take my safety any less seriously just because I'd moved closer to him.

The Vampire in question called me half-an-hour before sunset and we agreed to meet at the apartment, as Jason wasn't expected until much later. He appeared at my window a few minutes after dark (Eric apparently didn't do doors), looking more dashing than ever in a slick black business suit that fitted him like a glove. After letting him in, I shamelessly ogled him, which caused him to smirk smugly. I wanted to hug him, like we used to do, but things were still a bit awkward between us, so I kept my distance.

"What's the occasion?" I inquired, pointedly eyeing his suit.

"I'm meeting with some of the Magister's delegates later tonight."

"Are you in trouble?" I inquired, unable to conceal the edge of worry in my voice.

The Magister was the equivalent of the Bogey Man in Vampire society. He was a remnant of the European Middle-Age, a sadistic purveyor of justice – think Spanish Inquisition, not Judge Judy – and he was never, ever, good news.

"Not for me, no," Eric replied. "I had to send a troublesome Vampire to his final death two nights ago and they have come to take my sworn statement and finalize official paperwork."

"Oh, OK. What did the Vampire do?"

"He had been making very unsuitable children for more than a decade. I've had to end half of them and ban the rest from my Area. For some unknown reason, he had the favor of the Queen up to now, so I couldn't touch him, but she recently withdrew her protection and I took it as my cue to deal with the problem once and for all."

"So, you just… staked him?"

"No, I had to formally petition the Magister. Ending a Vampire is a serious business and it involves a lot of paperwork; I had to wait a month before getting the green light."

"Couldn't he have run away in the meantime, since he knew the Queen would no longer protect him?"

Eric snorted.

"Indeed; but we have already established that the man was a fool."

It felt good, discussing Vampire politics with Eric like old times; it was as if he'd never left.

"Shall we sit?" he suggested, nodding toward the couch.

We sat down and he dove straight into business.

"I want you to work for me," he stated.

I was a bit thrown by his statement but I'd always expected Eric would offer me some kind of employment once I was an adult. He'd always been very interest in developing my telepathy and I was sure he would have many uses for it.

"Well, I graduate in four years but I think I would be qualified enough to start working part-time after my junior year," I declared.

Eric shook his head.

"I want you to start as soon as possible."

To say I was taken by surprise would be an understatement.

"What? You want to hire me now? But on what basis? I don't have any qualifications."

"You're more than qualified for the position I'm offering you."

"And what position would that be?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"That of my personal telepath, of course."

"Eric… I don't think I'm ready to publicly 'come out' with my quirk yet. I'm not saying I won't ever be, but I'd like to graduate first. I don't want to be forever defined solely by my telepathy."

"I have no intention of making your ability public knowledge, Sookie." I frowned in confusion. "Officially, you would be a student intern, making the rounds of my businesses to observe and assist in a minor capacity; unofficially, your job would be to read my employees and prospective business partners, looking for deceit and hidden agendas. You would work up to 10 hours a week for a salary of $800 an hour, plus expenses," my eyes bulged, which he noticed, "for a start," he added, making my eyeballs all but pop out. "I might need you for special assignments once in a while, for which you would be paid extra. The employment package will of course include holidays, full health coverage, wardrobe allowance, performance bonus, etc." He paused, apparently thinking something over. "Are you happy with sharing this apartment with Jason or do you want one of your own?" he inquired, very seriously.

I let out a deep breath.

"Whoa! Eric, calm down! This is a lot to take in. First of all, this is way too much money. Second of all, I already have a job, which I'm starting tomorrow."

"The day care center?"

I nodded (of course he would know that) and he quirked an eyebrow.

"You would consider turning down my offer for a job that would pay you $8 an hour?"

"It's not just about the money, Eric. I'm committed to the position, and it would be plain rude to leave them high and dry on the day I'm supposed to start."

"Then give them a severance week and I'll provide them with a suitable replacement by Friday," he declared, waving his hand dismissively. "What was your other objection? Ah, yes, the money." He gave me an amused look. "Do you know how long I have existed Sookie?"

"More than a 1,000 years," I replied confusedly. Where was he going with this?

"And do you know how many telepaths I have personally met?" I shrugged. "One. Total." He paused, letting that information sink. "You are unique and extraordinarily valuable, Sookie. The salary I'm offering you is actually conservative, but I knew bigger sums would frighten you. My concerns are varied in range but almost all of them are multi-million-dollar businesses. I am a wealthy man, Sookie and, as such, I am the target of many less than honorable people. Think of all the money you could save me by warning me off a bad deal. Your gift is also invaluable when it comes to supernatural affairs; the applications are virtually limitless. Do you really think you are best used caring for toddlers?"

I stayed silent, mulling his words over for a few minutes. What Eric was offering me was beyond generous: it would guarantee me financial security, for the first time in my life, as well as give me an opportunity to put my special skill to good use. I would be able to take care of Gran, pay my dorm's rent and also repay Eric for all he had done for me by being of service to him. Frankly, that was a very straightforward decision to make.

"Eric, I accept. Thank you," I declared and I was rewarded by a smile.

"No Sookie, thank _you_. I will need you to come down to my HQ tomorrow night to sign the contract; unless you want more time to think my offer over?"

"No, I've made my decision."

"Good. I will have my second-in-command, Soledad, pick you up from here. Is 9 p.m. convenient for you?"

"Well, my friend Scarlett is coming to visit me tomorrow afternoon and she's staying over..."

"It's fine, bring her with you. She will have to wait in the lobby while we take care of our business but she's welcome to join you."

"Great, thank you."

"Is there anything else?"

I suddenly recalled that I needed to bring up the credit card.

"Actually, yes." I reached out to the envelope that was still on the coffee table and extracted the little rectangle of plastic before handing it over to Eric. He looked at it with puzzlement.

"Was there a problem with the card? Did it get rejected?"

I shook my head.

"I wouldn't know as I didn't use it. I don't want it."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not in the habit of spending money I haven't earned. Eric, you're not my husband so there is no justification for me to be spending your money."

He smirked when I mentioned marriage and quipped:

"Oh, is that how human males do things these days? They get down on one knee and ask: 'Would you do me the favor of becoming my wife and spending my money?'"

I chuckled despite myself but stayed firm in my resolve. I thrust the card in his direction but he made no move to take it.

"Buy the furniture, Sookie. When you move out, the next lodger will simply use it. Consider it a belated birthday present. I trust this one will fare better than the last one?"

Ugh! Low blow, Northman.

I thought for a second about his offer. I suppose he made a good point about the furniture being passed on to whoever rented the place next, plus if I bought it from his store, the money would get back to him anyway.

"OK, I'll accept; but I won't be spending anything more than necessary." He shrugged. "Also, what is the computer for?"

"For e-mails, as I've already mentioned, and also for typing written reports, now that you've accepted my employment offer. There's also a good calendar program, to keep you organized between your University schedule and your work for me."

I decided these were good enough reasons to keep the laptop and Eric left soon after. I immediately called Gran to tell her about my new job. I gave her the edited version, simply stating that I'd found a paid internship, but I did tell her I would be working for a certain Eric Northman (Eric had told me it was OK to mention his name, as he was a well known – if somewhat elusive - businessman in Shreveport).

Jason showed up an hour later with a large, extra-creamy, birthday cake (he wasn't completely irredeemable, after all) and a Red Hot Chili Pepper CD as a present (I made a mental note to thank Tatiana). Spending the evening with Jason proved to be more pleasant than I'd assumed it would be: he had loosened up a lot, was pleased with his job and with the way things were going with Tatiana and he seemed genuinely interested with what was going on in my life. When I mentioned that I would soon be working for Eric, he remarked that we would be 'colleagues'. He'd never met Eric (and obviously had no idea he was a Vampire) but he called him a great boss and was happy for me.

The next morning, I showed up for my brief stint at the day care center. They had already received a call from Eric's office and would be interviewing my replacement the following afternoon. Once again, I was amazed by the speed at which Eric could make things happen. Scarlett arrived soon after I finished my shift (she'd driven up to town all the way from Bon Temps). We caught dinner at my apartment then showered and waited for Soledad to show up. While we were grooming ourselves, I realized we had a slight problem as there were only two bedrooms and I didn't know whether Jason would be showing up tonight.

"You can have Jason's bedroom, if he doesn't come back, though I strongly advise you to change the sheets first. Or there's the couch," I said to Scarlett while brushing my hair. I'd opted to wear a light blue dress with a billowing skirt and a square neck line, and my hair was left to hang loose around my shoulders.

"Or… we could share that gigantic bed of yours," she hinted.

I eyed her skeptically.

"If you promise to behave, I could live with that."

"I'll be an _angel_," she replied, dramatically crossing her hands over her heart.

"You better be," I laughed.

Soledad rang us up some time later and we went down the elevator to meet her. Our mouths hung open when we saw that Eric had arranged for a limo to escort us up to _Dragon House,_ his HQ.

"What exactly do you do for that boss of yours, again?" Scarlett quipped, once we were settled on the plush leather seats.

I elbowed her playfully.

"I'm an _intern_. And no, I'm not sleeping with him!"

"Well, if is sending you limos, my bet is that he wants to change that real soon. Is 9 p.m. standard office hours?" she chuckled.

I swatted her jokingly and we bantered all the way to the club. Soledad was sat on the seat opposite us and eyed us sternly. She hadn't uttered a word beside a stiff greeting. To my eyes, her Vampireness was obvious, but I doubted Scarlett could tell there was anything amiss. She looked like she was turned in her late 20s and was beautiful, or she would have been if she lost the sourpuss expression. I'd noticed her glaring at me from time to time, and wondered what the hell her problem was.

When we arrived at _Dragon House_, I was slightly dumbfounded by how _normal_ it all looked. I don't know what I'd been expecting, but I figured a Supe haunt would be somewhat… distinctive? The lobby resembled that of a very posh hotel; there were people – mostly suited men - spread about in plush chairs and couches, reading newspapers or chatting animatedly to one another. A sweeping staircase led to the upper levels, but we were informed that you had to be escorted by a member to access that part of the building.

"Wait here," Soledad instructed. "I will inform the Sheriff of your presence."

Scarlett and I sat down on a striped couch and she began quizzing me about my 'Mega-Million Boss/Future Sugar Daddy'. Without ever stopping chatting with her, I dropped my shields and began sweeping the lobby. I soon realized that the apparent normality of the setting was just an illusion: mingling among the humans, I identified two Vampires, one Were-animal of some kind, three Werewolf security guards and another unidentified Supernatural creature. I zeroed in on the odd brain and examined it more thoroughly. The strange mental signature belonged to a pretty young man, 20 at most, who was seating alone in a corner of the lobby, looking withdrawn. I could tell he was part human but his brain was very difficult to read, as if I were watching a program on a very old TV set with a bad antenna. I got a lot of anger and frustration from him, but he didn't seem to present much of a danger. We were, after all, in a building full of Vampires. After a while, I gave up trying to read him.

I was about to raise back my shields when I caught a vivid image of a semi-naked Eric on the edge of my mind. I turned around to follow the source of the thought and saw a stunning brunette descending the stairs. She had 'Victoria's Secret Model' written all over her, all slender, toned limbs and delicate cheekbones. She was also a loud broadcaster so I had no trouble catching images of Eric engaged in a very explicit sexual act with her, but I noticed something strange about her memories: they were slightly blurred at the edge, as if they'd been tampered with. Prodding deeper, I realized that she'd been glamoured. Before she got through the front door, I managed to extract an unedited memory of her being bitten by Eric. My breath hitched as I was overcome by jealousy. I understood what had happened: this woman was Eric's 'lady friend' (or most likely _one_ of his 'lady friends') and he had glamoured her to forget everything that would expose him as a Vampire, but left her the memory of the great sex, probably so she would come back.

I attempted to get a hold over my feelings. Technically, I had no right whatsoever to be jealous of whomever Eric chose to fuck. He wasn't mine and, apart from his reaction to my blood, he'd never hinted that he was interested in me that way. Beside, I wasn't so naive as to think a hunk such as him wouldn't have many mistresses spread around Shreveport. If anything, he needed to eat, and he'd been upfront about the fact that Vampires just _loved_ to play with their food. Despite all those reasonable arguments, seeing the evidence of Eric's very active sexual life hurt.

"Hey, Sookie, you all right?"

Scarlett was waving a hand in front of my eyes. I snapped out of my musing, realizing I'd unwittingly stopped paying attention to the conversation.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm fine. I kind of tuned out for a little while there."

"Yeah, I noticed! Why were you staring at that girl?"

"Uh, it's nothing; I just though I recognized her from somewhere."

At that moment, I felt two voids approaching, and one of them was Eric (I'd noticed that his void was denser than that of other Vampires, which is how I identified him). Turning around, I saw him walking down the stairs, with a beautiful blond female Vampire by his side. I immediately brightened.

"Who's _that_?" asked Scarlett.

"That's Eric," I answered with a smile.

"Oh, yeah, cute," she said dismissively. "I was asking about the stunner next to him."

I glanced at the female Vampire, before turning my stare to Scarlett.

"No, uh, uh; Scarlett, don't go there. Trust me."

"Why not? She's gorgeous."

"She's…" I scrambled to find an excuse. "She's too old for you."

"What? She looks barely over 20. You're a hypocrite, anyway! Don't you think I haven't seen you make goo-goo eyes at your boss? What is he? 28? 30?"

"That's different," I hissed, but Scarlett merely smirked.

"Is it now? Are you even _legal_?" she teased, and then laughed when I swatted her, not so playfully, this time.

By then, Eric and the female had reached us and he was looking at our little spectacle with an amused smirk. I pulled myself together and stood up to greet him.

"Good evening Mr. Northman."

"Miss Stackhouse," he nodded. I noticed him running his eyes all over me and glanced nervously at Scarlett. Luckily – or not – she was too busy eye-fucking the female Vampire to notice. "May I introduce you to my relative, Miss Pamela Ravenscroft, who is visiting from Seattle," he declared, gesturing towards his female companion.

It took a few seconds to hit home. His _child_ Pam! That was her. She was eyeballing me with a clinical curiosity, as if I were a fascinating butterfly specimen. Aware that Vampires don't really do handshakes, I gave her a polite nod, which she returned. I couldn't help staring openly at the woman who held such an important place in Eric's heart. She was very beautiful and innocent-looking, with creamy skin, straight blonde hair and doll-like features; in fact, she looked just like a milk-maid. After a few seconds, Scarlett cleared her throat at my side.

"Yes, so sorry! Mr. Northman, Miss Ravenscroft, this is my good friend Scarlett Bessette."

"Such a pleasure to meet you," Scarlett purred, extending her hand towards Pam while completely ignoring Eric.

I was shocked when the Vampire took it, and I noticed my friend's slight flinch at the unexpected coldness of Pam's hand.

"The pleasure is all mine, I'm sure," Pam replied, with a predatory smirk.

I didn't like one bit what was happening there and I gave Eric a pleading look. He caught my unease and turned to speak to Scarlett.

"If I may ask, Miss Bessette, how old are you?"

"18" she replied, without ever taking her eyes off Pam.

Eric glanced back at me and shrugged his shoulder, as if to say that the situation was out of his hands. I glared at him, which only made him chuckle. Addressing Scarlett once more, he declared:

"Miss Stackhouse and I have business to discuss upstairs, would you mind waiting in the lobby for a short while, Miss Bessette?"

"Not at all, that's fine."

"I'd love to keep her company while she waits," Pam piped up.

"You really don't have to…" I said desperately.

Eric was looking mightily amused by my discomfort, the bastard, and Scarlett was throwing me daggers. Finally, Eric took pity on me and said:

"You do not have to worry about your friend, Miss Stackhouse. Pam doesn't bite." Turning to his child, he added pointedly "Do you, Pam?"

Pam pouted a bit but finally replied:

"No, Eric, I do not."

With me sufficiently reassured, Eric and I went up to his office, on the third floor. It was a rather standard 'executive' suite, the type you see in movies about Wall Street guys, with thick carpets, dark red wallpaper and abstract paintings on the walls. He sat on a black leather sofa and gestured for me to join him. When I was settled, he shifted his body towards mine and extended his long arm on the back of the sofa. Considering he was wearing a tight T-shirt, I got a prime view of his guns. Let's just say that the term 'arm porn' had been invented for Eric.

"So, my lawyer is waiting in the next room with the contract but I want to give you an opportunity to ask any last-minute questions."

"There are just two things, really." He nodded for me to carry on. "First, I want to make it clear that my work for you will not have priority over my University schedule. I can't miss important lectures or mid-terms."

"Agreed. It will only be 10 hours a week maximum, Sookie. Your hours will be very flexible and you will be free to turn down assignments."

"OK. The second thing is about the legal aspect of my work for you." I paused, thinking of how to formulate my request. "What will happen when I discover that someone has been damaging your interests?"

"Well, that depends on the offense. If it's a matter of a human being dishonest, I suppose I will turn them to human authorities. For graver offenses, or if a Supe is involved, I will deal with the matter as befits a Vampire Sheriff."

"You would kill?"

Eric silently stared at me. After a moment, I lowered my eyes.

"It's just…" I raised my gaze again. "Eric, I don't want anybody to die because of me."

"If anybody dies, it won't be because of anything you've done; it will be because they've fucked with the wrong Vampire."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his cockiness, but I did try to reach a compromise.

"I understand you have to deal with Supes your own way but, promise me that, when it comes to humans, you will try to have human laws applied first, and Vampire punishments used only as a last resort."

Eric considered that then nodded once.

"Whenever possible, I will turn guilty humans over to the human authorities."

That didn't sound like much of a promise and the wording gave him a lot of leeway but I knew that's the best I would get out of him; and at least I did try. My conscience sufficiently relieved, I said:

"I don't really have any other concerns. I'm still a bit overwhelmed about the money but, apart from that, I'm just really grateful and excited."

"Good. Let's get it over with, then."

Eric stood up and I followed him into what looked like a conference room. A large suited man - Eric's layer, I assumed - was seated at an oval table. I could tell straight away that he wasn't human, even without using my quirk: he had round black eyes and a round head; in fact, he seemed to be made exclusively of circles and he exuded a calm authority. I quickly tried to dip into his mind but I was only met with static. I glanced at Eric who signaled that I should take a seat next to the man, while he took a seat on his other side.

"Mr. Cataliades, thank you for your patience. This is Miss Stackhouse, the young woman we have discussed."

Mr. Cataliades smiled at me and gallantly kissed my extended hand.

"Miss Stackhouse, it is a pleasure to meet you at last. I have been made aware of your special circumstances by Mr. Northman, and it is truly an honor to meet an extraordinary creature such as yourself."

He was laying it on thick, but his manners were impeccable. Gran would have loved him.

"Thank you, sir," I replied. "It's a pleasure to meet you too."

For the next half-hour, the lawyer walked me through my contract, explaining complex legal terms when we encountered them. I got the shock of my life when I learned that, in addition to my salary, I would be receiving $30,000 in cash up-front for what was called my retainer. Apparently, it was to make sure I wouldn't be offering my services to anyone else. I tried to argue that it was unnecessary but Eric quirked an eyebrow, as if to remind me of our earlier conversation about my 'worth', and I shut up. After all was said and done, I signed all the pages, followed by Eric and the lawyer. Eric gave me a smile as the documents were sealed up, which I returned. Mr. Cataliades chose this moment to speak.

"Mr. Northman, Miss Stackhouse, if I may make a suggestion…"

"Please, do," Eric declared.

"Well, it occurred to me that, while the contract has been worded in such a manner that Miss Stackhouse's gift is never explicitly mentioned, the news of her ability might spread after a time. If such were the case, she would be exposed to the special interest of other Vampires… Vampires who would have the means to take her away from your employment and protection, Mr. Northman."

The lawyer's meaning was pretty clear: as soon as the Queen heard there was a telepath in Area 5, she would try to obtain me for herself. I felt panic rise in my chest and noticed that Eric had tensed up.

"I've already considered that, Mr. Cataliades, which is why I have fabricated a cover story to explain Miss Stackhouse's position within my retinue. The only people who will know of her true role are either unquestionably loyal to me or bound by attorney-client confidentiality," Eric replied, giving his lawyer a pointed look.

"Ah, yes, of course. But if I may, Mr. Northman, I might have an additional solution."

Eric waved him to proceed.

"Mr. Northman, would you considered filling out a formal declaration of ownership?"

I glanced between the lawyer and a now stony-faced Eric, waiting for an explanation. When none came, I spoke up.

"Err, what exactly is a 'declaration of ownership'?"

The lawyer turned to face me and explained jovially, as if we were discussing weekend plans:

"For Mr. Northman to strengthen his claim over you, he would have to verbally declare you 'his'. If a lawyer, such as myself, were to be present to witness the declaration, it would be in his power to formally record the claim and register the now legally binding 'declaration of ownership' with the High Council. Such a document would make it very difficult for any other Vampire to try and challenge Mr. Northman's claim to you, including his right to be your primary employer."

I was speechless. Was this lawyer advising that Eric should declare me 'his" as an extra security measure? I knew exactly what belonging to a Vampire entailed and I wanted nothing more than to be Eric's, but I wasn't about to force him down this path just so he could keep me safe. Turning to look at Eric, who was still staring sternly at the lawyer, I spoke gingerly:

"Eric? That's your call, really. Do you think that's a good idea?"

Eric's head snapped towards me and he stared at me in surprise. After a moment, he declared:

"Mr. Cataliades, I would like to have a word in private with Miss Stackhouse."

The lawyer rose from his seat and vacated the room with a bow.

As soon as we were alone, Eric bent forwards and looked at me intently:

"You would be happy with this?"

"With being officially yours?" He nodded gravely. "Why wouldn't I be? Eric, I'm not an idiot. Even if the Queen never learns of my ability, there are still the Fae to consider. Don't you think I've been looking over my shoulder ever since Niall abducted me? I know he has left me alone all these years, but I also know that a decade, or even a century, is nothing when you live for thousands of years. He could be plotting his next move as we speak. I won't ever be truly safe until I gain the formal protection of someone who can match him in terms of power and influence; and, well… you're it."

Eric had remained impassive during my little speech but, as I spoke the last words, a small smile crept up on his face.

"You understand what it would mean for you, don't you?"

"Yes, I understand. As soon as I'm registered as yours with the High Council, no-one can touch me, in any way, without risking open warfare, or their lives."

"It won't be like a mere oral declaration, it cannot be broken easily. You'll be tied to me for a long time, possibly forever." He impressed the words upon me.

It did not escape me that, while he mentioned what being his would mean for me, he never talked about what it would mean for _us_. Would this arrangement be merely for show? He obviously intended to see the exclusivity clause enforced, but what about the rest? I decided to brush over the issue for now. My safety was the most important thing to consider at the moment.

"Eric, I _know_ what's out there, and I know I'm no match. What you're offering me is a chance at a good, safe life, and I'm not about to throw that away. Beside," I added with a smirk, "as far as bosses go, you're not the worst."

Eric bent forwards and leered at me.

"So I'm your boss, then? I like to hear that word in your mouth. Say it again."

I rolled my eyes and spelled B-O-S-S, making silly 'sex faces' with every letters. That drew a laugh from Eric and I got a bit exhilarated by our exchange: were we _flirting_? Before long, though, Eric got serious again.

"Very well, then. I will register you after your 18th birthday so as to not draw unwanted attention to you for the time being. I have never had a human companion so your sudden presence at my side will no doubt raise questions. For now, I wish to keep your existence a secret so that you can enjoy a few more months of freedom." He gave me a pointed look. "Once you step into the limelight there will be no going back."

"I know that, but I'm not afraid. As long as you are by my side, I know I'll be able to handle anything that comes my way," I stated with determination. "But won't your Queen be pissed that you've hidden me all this time? I mean, I doubt she'll buy that you just happened to discover that I am a telepath on my 18th birthday."

Eric grinned deviously.

"Oh, she will be_ extremely_ 'pissed', as you say. But since you'll be my _personal_ asset, as registered with the highest Supernatural authority, she'll have no choice but to play nice, unless she wishes to find herself another telepath whose services she can hire. You see, the arrangement protects the both of us."

"But it will make you a target too, right?" I remarked somberly. "I mean, there will always be people who will try and kill you just to acquire me."

Eric took my hands in his and gently declared:

"Sookie, I had enemies wanting to take my head long before you were born. Many have attempted to end me; none are still alive to tell the tale. Do not worry for me."

We smiled at each other. Eric was rubbing circles on my fingers and I was thoroughly enjoying the physical contact. After a while, he straightened up and summoned back Mr. Cataliades. The lawyer was informed of our decision and assured us that he would have the documents prepared for the formal declaration in a year's time. As soon as he was gone, I quizzed Eric:

"What is he?"

"A demon. A part-demon, to be exact. Did you manage to read him?"

"Nope, I just got static. Speaking of which, I got almost the same result with a guy I was trying to read downstairs in the lobby. It wasn't as strong, but it was close enough."

Eric groaned.

"Oh, yes, the demon hybrid." I raised an eyebrow questioningly. "The boy you're talking of, Tomas, has been a pain in my butt for the past three nights. He was the pet of the Vampire I had to recently execute and has been harassing me for an audience ever since. Normally, I would just have him glamoured and send him on his way, but he cannot be glamoured."

"Oh? I thought I was the one exception?"

"He's a demon hybrid, they're usually very resilient to glamour; but he has too little demon blood to fully qualify as a Supe, so I can't even ban him from my Area. I'm_ this_ close to have him disposed of, but I hate paperwork."

"Why not ban him from the lobby?"

"We tried that. He just picketed outside the doors, scaring away the members."

I chuckled at the mental image.

"What are you going to do, then?"

Eric thought a bit and than stated:

"I will grant him his audience. Hopefully, once he has said his piece, he will give up on pestering me. Would you like to attend?"

I was taken by surprise by the offer, but promptly accepted. I wasn't about to turn down my first chance to witness Vampire politics from the front row.

Eric and I went back to his office and, through an intercom, he instructed Soledad to admit Tomas in his office. I turned down Eric's offer to sit on the sofa and discreetly stood in a corner of the office. Tomas was escorted in a few minutes later, looking more miserable than ever. He presented his complaint to Eric, which, in a nutshell, was that his Master, Martin, had been planning to turn him and that since Eric had killed his prospective Maker, he was 'owed' a turning. Tomas was actually suggesting that it was now Eric's responsibility to turn him! I tried not to laugh out loud at the absurdity of Tomas' demands. I kind of understood now why Martin had to be ended: his child-to-be was obviously not very bright and, if Martin's other children were of the same caliber, it's no wonder they had all been thorns in Eric's side.

Eric shot down Tomas ridiculous demands with a few choice words and threatened him with dire consequences if he persisted with his hassle. As he was dismissing Tomas from his office, I caught a surge of anger from the hybrid's brain, before the clear image of a gun being shot and of Eric's disintegrating body reached my mind. I yelled:

"Eric! Get down!"

Three things then happened simultaneously: Tomas drew a small pistol he had concealed in his jacket, Eric zoomed in front of Tomas and grabbed him by the throat, and I projected as many murderous thought as I could in the direction of Tomas' brain.

When I collapsed on my knees, holding my head between my hands, Eric let go of Tomas to come to my assistance, but stopped after a couple of steps when he realized that the boy was dead. By then, I had recovered enough to notice the puzzled expression on Eric's face, but I didn't care a fig about explaining what had happened to the hybrid. The only thing I cared about was that I had just almost lost Eric.

Standing up, I dashed to him and, circling my arms around his neck, I kissed him.

Eric froze and, for a few terrifying seconds, I thought he would reject me; but then he thankfully responded to my embrace, enclosing me with his arms and deepening the kiss, parting my lips with his tongue, devouring me and caressing me in the most deliciously intimate way.

It occurred to me that this was an almost exact re-enacting of last year's scene after my birthday party but, where the previous kiss had been given out of anger and had felt all wrong, this one felt absolutely right.

I don't know how long Eric and I remained entwined with each other but, after what seemed a lifetime, I drew back to grasp for air. My breath was shallow and I hardly dared open my eyes for fear that I had just hallucinated the past few minutes. That was, without exception, the best kiss I had ever been given.

Eventually, I pried my eyelids open and looked at my Vampire. He was staring at me with a mixture of shock, lust and confusion; his fangs were protruding from his parted lips (I briefly wondered how I had managed not to cut myself on those) and his hair was tousled where I had so mercilessly grasped and clung. We just stared at each other in silence.

Eric was the one to break to standoff:

"What was _that_?" he demanded.

I closed my eyes as my body shook with her laughter.

"_That_, Eric, was two years' worth of pent-up sexual frustration," I answered.

Eric joined me and we were soon laughing in each other's arms. After we'd calmed down, Eric gently loosened his embrace and turned his head to his side. Uh, oh! I had gotten so lost in the moment that I had forgotten all about the small matter of the dead man in Eric's office. I felt suddenly deeply embarrassed that I'd had such an intimate moment in the same room as a corpse. Actually, if I were going to be thinking in these terms, a more correct description would be that I had been kissing an animated corpse while an inanimate one was in the room. I shook the disturbing thought out of my mind and focused back on the matter in hand.

Eric bent over Tomas' body and examined him.

"The neck isn't broken," he declared, most likely thinking aloud. "I don't understand why he died. Cardiac arrest, maybe?"

"Eric?" he turned to look at me. "I think I did that…"

He stood up and stared at me with astonishment.

"You? How?"

I lowered my eyes and took a deep breath: this was going to be difficult. As calmly as I could, I recounted the 'Benoit Episode' from two years before. When I had ended my little tale, Eric inquired:

"So you 'microwaved' your swim coach's brain just by thinking about killing him?"

"I wasn't a 100% certain that that was what happened… until now, that is. That's the first time I've tried to do it again, for obvious reasons, and I wasn't sure it was going to work." I was still staring at the floor.

Eric lifted my chin with his fingers to force me to look up at him. I was shocked to see him smiling triumphantly.

"Sookie, this is absolutely wonderful!"

"What? It's wonderful that I can kill people with my thoughts? How is that wonderful? I feel terrible about it. What if I accidentally hurt innocent people?"

Eric shook his head.

"It's wonderful that you have developed a weapon to _protect_ yourself, even against enemies who may be physically stronger than you. And, from what you've told me, it's unlikely you would be able hurt someone who was innocent."

I was overwhelmed by so many conflicting feelings that I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Eric held me tight and soothed me, one hand caressing my back and the other stroking my hair. When I'd calmed down, he asked me to wait in the conference room while he took care of disposing of Tomas' body.

While I was left alone with my thought, I had time to think back to all that had occurred in the past half-hour or so.

I'd killed a man, for the second time in my life, except this time it had not been an accident. I don't know how I was meant to feel about that, but I suspected guilt was supposed to eat away at me. And yet… I felt nervous, and scared too, and shocked; but I didn't feel guilty. If I were honest with myself, I would have killed Tomas all over again, given the chance. I already knew the bullets in his pistol had been made of wood - that was the only scenario that would explain his mental image - and when it came to choosing between Eric and the life of someone who would seek to hurt him, my choice would always be Eric.

Quite honestly, I felt considerably less conflicted about killing Tomas than I felt about what I did next.

I'd kissed Eric.

Oh my God! I don't know what had come over me; it was one of the most impulsive things I have ever done. Eric had responded, but was it out of genuine passion, or just an automatic reaction? How would my actions change things between us? Would it bring us closer or would it put distance between us? I was caught in a whirling of thoughts when the door to the conference room opened and Eric appeared in front of me.

"Sookie? Are you all right?"

"Yes," I breathed, struggling to meet his eyes. "I'm still getting over the shock, but I'll be fine."

Eric sat down next to me and took my hands.

"I still want to talk about what happened, but not tonight. You've been through a lot and I just want to see you home, safe and sound."

I nodded; the one thing I needed right now was a good night's sleep. My head still hurt a bit from my little mind trick and I was emotionally drained from all that had occurred between Eric and me. I was relieved when he led me towards the roof and took to the air with me in his arms. We landed in the park at the foot of the apartment building and made our way upstairs. In the elevator, I suddenly thought about poor Scarlett, who I had left back at _Dragon House,_ and I vocalized my concern.

"I don't think Scarlett is going to be back tonight," Eric chuckled. "I forgot to tell you that she left a message with the receptionist saying she was leaving with Pam; it came while you were in the conference room."

I was about to protest but Eric hushed me.

"Your friend is old enough to make her own decisions, Sookie, and Pam will not feed from her, I have forbidden it. You have nothing to worry about."

I allowed myself to be mollified by Eric's words and was grateful when we reached my apartment, at long last, as I was feeling positively exhausted. Eric opened the door and took care of the alarm while I flopped down on the couch. I thanked him when he brought me a glass of water and downed the liquid in one take. When it was apparent that I was about to just fall asleep in the living room, he lifted me in a princess hold and carried me to my bedroom. There he gently took off my shoes and my dress – I was way too tired to bother feeling embarrassed by the fact that Eric was seeing me in my underwear – and slid me under the covers.

We looked at each other for a while as he sat on the bed close to me, gently stroking my hair. After a long moment of hesitation, he bent forward and pressed his lips to mine. It wasn't the searing, hungry lip-lock of earlier; it was an act of pure tenderness, a promise, and I felt myself melt in a puddle of bliss, if there was such thing. I closed my eyes as he straightened up, not wanting to break the spell.

"Sookie?" he gently called.

"Eric?" I mumbled.

"That was a great kiss."

I smiled happily, and then I was out like a light.

* * *

**A/N**: Thank you for reading. Next chapter **Work and Play** will be posted either on Friday night or on Saturday morning.


	10. Work and Play

**A/N**: Song for this chapter: _Takin' care of Business_ by Bachman-Turner Overdrive

* * *

**Chapter 10 – WORK & PLAY**

**SPOV**

I awoke to the shrill sound of the doorbell, accompanied by loud banging. It took me a few seconds to come to and realize somebody was knocking on my door. Or, rather, knocking _down_ my door, judging by the ruckus. Standing straight proved to be an adventure: I was feeling hung over - despite not having touched a drop of alcohol the previous night - all courtesy of my mental acrobatics. Yeah, frying people's brains is a bitch.

I managed to drag myself across the corridor and the living room to peep at my visitor through the bulls-eye. Scarlett! I should have known. So Eric had been right, then: she had slept out.

I opened the door and my perky red-haired friend burst in.

"Rise and shine, sleepy head!" she sing-sang.

"Uh, Scarlett, it's way too early for your Broadway act," I groaned, grasping at the sides of my head.

"What are you talking about? It's 11 a.m.!"

"What!" I exclaimed. "You're kidding, right?"

I rushed toward the kitchen to check the wall clock and could only admit that Scarlett had been entirely truthful.

"Shit! I'm late for work."

"Take a sick day," she shrugged. "You look like hell anyway."

"Thanks bestie!" I replied sarcastically, while reaching for the phone and dialing the day care center's number.

That turned out to be unnecessary: they'd already received a call from Eric's office notifying them that I was unwell and would not be showing-up for work. For once, I was grateful for Eric's high-handedness, but I couldn't help thinking that I must have been their worst employee to date, handing out my resignation on the first day and then calling in sick on the second one. I wouldn't be asking for a recommendation letter at the end of the week, that was for sure. I made sure to profusely apologize before hanging up, and then I went back to my room for a much-needed invigorating shower.

By the time I was cleaned-up and dressed for the day, Scarlett had brewed me a pot of coffee and prepared some warm toast. I thanked her, this time minus the sarcasm. I had become a coffee fiend in recent years, and I was useless without it first thing in the morning.

"So," I prodded between two bites of toast, "Pam, huh?"

"Hell yeah!" Scarlett replied, waggling her eyebrows.

"I don't want the gory details," I warned her, "I just want to know if you're planning on seeing her again."

"Well, I'd love to, but she lives in Seattle."

"She's not back for good?" I asked, surprised.

"Nope, she was just visiting her cousin for a couple of nights." I snorted at Eric being referred to as Pam's cousin.

"What's funny?"

"Nothing. So this is over, right? It was just a one-night thing?"

"Why are you so against Pam? You don't even know her!" Scarlett snapped defensively.

"I'm sorry! I don't mean to judge. I do want you happy, you know that," I pleaded. "It's just… I've got a bad feeling about her somehow; but I know you can take care of yourself," I added in a conciliatory tone.

Scarlett shrugged and we moved on. That was the best thing about her: she never stayed cross for very long. We spent the rest of the morning, and part of the afternoon, together then she headed back to Bon Temps. Some time later, I received a message from Eric informing me that he would come pick me up at sunset. I was still feeling tired so I spend the rest of the afternoon napping, in order to be fresh and alert for the evening.

I awoke an hour before sunset and went into a frenzy: I tried on five different outfits and sampled three different hairstyles (I wanted to look pretty, but not like I was trying too hard), I brushed my teeth, twice, and I agonized over shoes. Finally, I settled on a pair of flattering jeans, a peasant blouse that was the same blue as my eyes and a pair of flat sandals. My hair was left to hang loose.

Eric showed up 20 minutes after dark, and through the front door, amazingly. He'd elected to wear his uniform of dark jeans and tight T-shirt and I internally groaned at how unjust it was that I had spent an hour fussing over every detail of my outfit, while he probably just threw this stuff on, in the dark, and ended up looking drop-dead-gorgeous anyway.

There was an awkward few seconds when we kind of danced around each other and it looked like he might embrace or even kiss me, but the moment passed. I didn't know what I was expecting after yesterday, but I was hoping we'd made some kind of progress in the right direction. It had all been dramatic and intense, and I didn't anticipate he would suddenly treat me completely differently, but the fact that he hadn't so much as hugged me did hurt. I understood that, if we were going to have a romantic relationship at all, it would have to be based upon mutual understanding and deep commitment, not on a moment of pure passion. Our kiss – as good at it may have been - couldn't instantly repair a relationship that had been bruised by the years we had spent apart. We had to learn to be friends again before we could think of becoming more. Still, the fact that nothing had seemingly changed between us frustrated me. I tried my best to hide my disappointment, however, as I'd resolved to act like the grown-up I claimed to be, and that meant no bratty behavior or display of neediness.

"Are you feeling better tonight, Sookie?" Eric asked, seemingly genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine, now. I had quite a headache when I woke up this morning but it faded after a cup of coffee."

"Good. Jason?"

"M.I.A. as usual," I chuckled. "I think he has pretty much moved into his girlfriend's apartment but they haven't made it official yet."

"Let's talk, then," he said, gesturing towards the living room.

After we'd settled on the couch, Eric inquired gravely:

"You would tell me, if you were still in pain? You do know I can make things easier for you, don't you?"

I couldn't keep the shock off my face.

"Eric? Are you offering me your blood?"

"Why is that so surprising? You've had plenty of my blood in the past."

"Sure, but… then you left…" I drifted off, unsure that I wanted to go there. Eric also seemed a bit uncomfortable with the subject.

"Well, you're a grown-up now, things are different. My blood would still have some undesirable effects but you would be better equipped to deal with them, and the benefits would outweigh the inconveniences. I've also been nervous about not being able to track you down, now that you will begin using your telepathy in a semi-official capacity."

Eric was staring at me, waiting for my reaction.

"You want to resume feeding me your blood," I stated, as this needed to be said aloud. He nodded, and I took a deep breath.

"OK, let's do this," I declared, which caused him to raise an eyebrow.

"Just like that?" he inquired.

"What do you mean? What were you expecting?" I asked, puzzled.

"I expected a bit more resistance, I guess." He shrugged. "Are you not angry with me, still?"

"I used to be, I'm not anymore. I'm done wasting time being upset by things I cannot change. You're back, and that's all that matters now. And if you want to share your blood with me, all the better: it has done wonderful things for me in the past."

Eric smiled at me, and I could tell he'd been bracing himself for a flow of recriminations and was pleasantly surprised by my calm demeanor. Yeah for mature Sookie!

Suddenly, a thought hit me:

"Won't other Supes be able to smell you on me? I'm only saying that because we've agreed to wait until I was 18 to officially register me as yours so… won't that give the deal away?"

Eric seemed taken aback by my observation; it was obvious he hadn't thought of that.

"You raise a very good point."

He pondered for a minute then said:

"For the time being, I will refrain from using you for special assignments. You will only work at my human concerns, where you will not encounter other Vampires, and we will keep your visits to _Dragon House_ under wraps. Do you mind using the backstairs when you visit my office?" I shook my head no, as that was too petty a point to argue over. "Good. Some of my employees are Were-animals, and they will be able to recognize my scent on you, so you will be exposed, to a certain extent. They will most certainly assume that you are my… mistress, and that that is how you got the position." I knew Eric had wanted to say 'pet' but had substituted the word 'mistress' to spare my sensibilities. "Unpleasant things might be said, or thought. Under these conditions, are you still willing to drink my blood?"

"Yes, absolutely. As you said: the benefits outweigh the inconveniences."

"That pleases me greatly, Sookie," he declared. "Now, if it's OK with you, I'd like to talk about what happened yesterday."

I nodded my acquiescence, wondering just how much we were going to discuss.

"Can you explain to me, in as much detail as possible, what you did to Tomas?"

I'd been expecting that question and had done a lot of thinking, earlier in the day.

"Well, both times this happened, I was thinking murderous thoughts, but I don't believe that's what harmed Tomas or my swim coach; it was more the fact that I was _projecting_ those thoughts in their direction. You see, I can get into people's brains and, most of the time, I'm just passively observing what goes on in there. Sometimes, I do a little bit of digging, but I'm really gentle. In these two instances, however, I was being real aggressive, forcing my thoughts on them, obtruding on their minds, so to speak."

I paused to check that he was following me.

"So you're saying that you 'overloaded' their minds with your own projected thoughts?"

"Yes, that's a good way to describe it. The more I think about it, the more I believe it's like a brain EMP, in a way."

"That's fascinating," Eric observed.

He seemed lost in his thoughts for a while, and I waited patiently for him to speak up.

"Sookie, I want you to develop this skill."

"What? No! I'm not going to go around frying people's brains," I protested.

"Of course not. I'm sure we will be able to find some suitable practice targets. I'll organize something, but you need to train and find out the limits of this ability. It's a powerful weapon, Sookie; one that might save your life, one day."

He looked at me pointedly, going out of his way to impress the importance of the issue on me. I nodded numbly, not one bit happy, but aware that I wasn't in a position to turn down any advantages I may be given.

At that moment, Eric's head suddenly snapped up as he stared at the door.

"Your brother is back," he stated.

Indeed, a few seconds later, the front door opened and Jason swaggered into the living room. He was clearly surprised to see me with male company, but made no comment as he greeted me with a hug. I dithered over how to make introductions and, sensing my hesitation, Eric took the initiative.

"Good evening. Eric Northman," he said, nodding at Jason.

"Jason Stackhouse, Sookie's brother," my brother replied and, after a pause, "… wait a minute; are you _the_ Eric Northman, as in Eric Northman _my boss_?"

"The very one," Eric replied.

Jason looked from Eric to me in confusion before saying:

"Wow! Well, it's nice to meet you, man; I mean, boss, err, Sir."

"Eric is fine."

Jason would probably not be able to tell, but I had enough practice in discerning the slightest twitches and modifications in Eric's features to know that he was amused by my brother's bewilderment. Finally, Jason woke up to the fact that he had interrupted our conversation and announced that he would head to the kitchen to fix himself a pre-dinner snack (read: his first dinner of the night; I swear my brother was worse than Homer Simpson). Since this was an open plan apartment, there was no wall separation between the kitchen and the living room, so Eric switched to Swedish.

"We should leave here soon. What I had planned for tonight was a trip to the car dealership so you could select a vehicle, and then back to _Dragon House_ so we can discuss your new bank details and your schedule for the next three months. The day care center has called, by the way: they're pleased with your replacement so you've officially been fired," he informed me with a smirk.

"I have to say, I didn't think losing my job would feel so good," I joked.

Eric was watching me, as if he was waiting for something. Finally, he spoke:

"You're not going to argue about the car?"

"Is that an argument I've got any chance of winning?" I asked.

"No."

"Then, no, I'm not going to argue."

Eric gave me a crooked smile and quipped:

"I like the new Sookie."

We left a short time later and headed to the car dealership. Under Eric's guidance, I selected a dark grey Audi, trying hard to ignore the fact that the car was worth more than Gran's house, and Eric took care of the paperwork and arranged to have the vehicle delivered to me the next day. Back at _Dragon House_, Eric walked me through my new financial details, my personal credit card, my expenses credit card (which I was to use for any purchase I made while I was on duty), my savings account, my check book, etc. The main thing I got from our session was that I now had access to a lot of money (well, a lot by my standards), and that Eric was a great boss. When he handed over my schedule, my eyes grew wide. Not that he had overbooked me or anything (true to his word, he'd only scheduled me for ten hours of work spread over three days per week), but the number of companies I was due to visit surprised me. Eric really had his fingers in a lot of pies, and I hadn't seen the half of it. We'd agreed that Amy would serve as my driver/bodyguard whenever I was on duty and Eric also gave me a super-cool electronic personal organizer - which he insisted I kept as a work tool - but I made it clear to him that I would start to 'argue' if he kept showering me with expensive gadgets.

When all the business side had been taken care of, Eric spoke:

"I would like to resume giving you my blood tonight, if that's all right with you. You'll start working in two days and you will need the energy boost."

"Sure," I replied, trying (but probably failing) to hide my excitement.

"You do realize what it will do to you, don't you? The side-effects?"

"I thought we'd already established that we were way past that?" I replied.

We still hadn't talked about the kiss, and I was hoping that the subject of blood sharing would organically lead us there, but Eric didn't take the bait. We sat on the leather sofa, in his office, and he bit his wrist before extending it to me.

His blood tasted as sweet and rich as I remembered, and I immediately felt the effects: enhanced senses, looser muscles, topped-up energy levels and a sharper mind.

As usual, Eric tensed-up while I drew out his blood, despite my best efforts to be as gentle as possible. When the wound closed itself, I said:

"I'm sorry if I've hurt you. I did try to be gentle."

"Hurt me? What do you mean?" he asked, puzzled.

"Well, I can tell you were uncomfortable during the process; it's obvious this isn't a pleasant experience."

Eric chuckled before explaining:

"Sookie, having one's blood sucked out is one of the most erotic sensations, for a Vampire. My discomfort has nothing to do with pain, I can assure you."

I glanced at his groin and saw a sizable bump. God, how could I have missed that all these years?

Eric drove me home soon after and, as he departed, I got my hug, at long last.

The next day, I busied myself by furnishing my room (Eric had refused to take back his $15,000, despite the fact that I could now afford to buy my own stuff), shopping for a new wardrobe of professional and dressy outfits, and learning how to use my new laptop with the Apple technician. By the end of the day, I was totally in love with my new car.

During the next two months, a sort routine established itself: I worked for Eric three days a week and, in my free time, I would hang out with Tatiana or Scarlett when she came to visit, check out some textbooks to prepare for my courses, or I would work out at the gym I had joined. On weekends, I would return to Bon Temps to spend time with Gran and Tara.

I had no idea how to plausibly explain to Gran my new financial flushness, so I went for the easiest explanation: I told her I had won a large sum at the lottery. At first, she adamantly refused my offers to financially provide for her, insisting instead that I keep the money to secure my future, but she relented when I pointed out that this was my house too, and I had the right to improve it as I saw fit. Over the next few weeks, I had the driveway re-graveled, the house and fences freshly painted, the roof fixed, some furniture replaced and Gran's old oven updated to a luxurious new model. I used companies recommended by Eric - and I'm certain I was being way undercharged - but the expenses still made a serious dent in my retainer. I didn't care, though: being able to take care of Gran and make her life a bit easier was worth every cent. I also hired Mrs. Jane, a nurse/home-help who was the mother of one of my former swim-team teammates, to assist Gran three days a week. Gran balked at first, but I played the guilt-trip card by claiming that this arrangement was for my peace of mind (it seemed like I was learning a thing or two from Eric the Great Manipulator). As it turned out, they got on like house on fire.

I also really enjoyed my job: not only I was helping Eric, but also I was practicing with my telepathy in new ways. Just in the first two weeks, I'd exposed a drug-addicted nurse who was stealing pain medicine from a private practice Eric owned, an accountant who was swindling money from one of his cinemas, an crooked real-estate agent who was leaking bids to competing firms and an industrial spy at one of his laboratories. I sent him daily reports and met him at my place or at _Dragon House_ about three days a week. After the first month, we resumed the katana training, once a week, in a specially outfitted room at my gym.

Things were now much more relaxed between us: we talked and laughed like old times, and Eric was getting more tactile. The time we had spent together had allowed us to rebuild and strengthen our friendship and the bond of trust between us. More than ever, I delighted in his company and valued his guidance. Still, there hadn't been any advancement on the romantic front, even though I often caught longing glances on his part, and we frequently openly flirted with each other. From time to time, I would chance on one of his 'lady-friends' at _Dragon House_ and, in such situations – as upsetting as they were -, I did my best to remind myself that I had no claim over him, and no right to confront him about that aspect of his life.

I was aware that we were navigating a sort of grey zone, since neither of us had bothered defining our relationship, but I was enjoying our renewed friendship too much to risk complicating things.

As he'd promised, Eric arranged for me to start practicing my 'brain frying skills'. Since human test subjects were obviously out of the question, Eric convinced me to train on animals. I really wasn't happy about it, but I agreed to follow him to a slaughterhouse to practice my 'brain EMP' on livestock.

I was acutely aware that, despite all my years of training in hand-to-hand combat and sword fighting, I was still no match for the weakest Were. My mental weapon was the only thing that gave me a bit of an edge, and could one day very possibly save my life, or that of the people I loved. I found out that the more I practiced, the less painful the procedure became - especially now that I was once again taking Eric's blood regularly - but I still had trouble successfully completing the maneuver more than once or twice in a row.

Once, Eric even brought me a Vampire to attempt the trick on. When I asked him what the Vampire had done to deserve being used as a lab rat, Eric simply replied that his life was forfeit. I knew better than to ask more questions, so I quietly went to work. As it turned out, I couldn't fry Vampire brains any more than I could read them. Eric was visibly crestfallen, but obviously not as much as I was. Before escorting the Vampire out, he quipped that he would try to bring me Niall so I could test whether my powers worked on Fairies. I'm not certain he was totally joking.

One evening, in the early days of August, Eric called ahead of one of our scheduled katana sessions.

"Hello?"

"Sookie, there will be a change of program tonight. I'll be picking you up in on hour. Wear something nice."

"Oh, hello Eric! I've had a fine day, thank you for asking."

Silence.

"Fine," I relented. That was my last attempt at teaching this rude Vampire some phone manners. "Where are we going?"

"Dinner."

Hum, that was unexpected.

"Eric? Are you taking me out on a date?" I inquired.

"I don't date."

"Oh, OK. A business dinner then?"

"No, just dinner. With human food. It's a wide-spread human custom, I'm told."

"Smart ass! But what you're describing does sound suspiciously like a _date_ to me, Eric," I teased.

I could almost hear him rolling his eyes through the phone.

"Be ready in one hour, Sookie. For _dinner_."

I was still laughing when the line went dead, without so much as a goodbye, as usual. Rude Vampire!

After fussing for a while, I opted for a knee-length red crepe cocktail dress with a deep V-neck. I completed the look with silver strappy sandals and wore my hair up in a loose bun. After dabbing on some light make-up, I wrapped myself in a silk shawl (the night was warm enough for me not to need a coat), and was good to go. I was buzzed a short while later and went down to meet my date.

I was mildly surprised to find Soledad standing next to the limo. As usual, she was wearing a constipated look and, after shortly explaining that Eric had been temporarily kept at _Dragon House_ and was sending his apologies, she sat down opposite me and glared the whole way. I'd realized weeks ago that Soledad's problem with me was that she had a huge crush on Eric, and he wasn't paying any attention. I also knew that it would be a waste of time to try and explain that I wasn't faring much better than her, so far, so I ignored her until we reached our destination.

When I got to Eric's office, I knocked on door and was answered by his deep voice:

"Come in, Sookie."

I entered the room to find him seated behind his desk, feet propped up, taking a call. From what I could tell, he'd put as much attention into his appearance as I had. After waving at him, I turned to the sofa and was stunned to find an exact replica of the acoustic guitar he'd gifted me on my 16th birthday, propped against the leather.

I sat down and, as soon as he had ended the call, I spoke:

"Really, Eric?" I chuckled, pointing at the guitar. He merely shrugged.

"I thought I would take my chances," he quipped with a smirk. "You look stunning, by the way."

"Thank you. You clean up rather nicely yourself."

And, boy, didn't he ever? He'd moved around the desk to lean against the glass tabletop, so I had a full view of his outfit. He was wearing a black tux that would have James Bond weeping with envy and looked simply good enough to eat. He gestured towards the guitar.

"Before we leave, why don't you show me what you've got?"

I smiled as I took hold of the guitar and positioned it on my lap. After quickly checking that the instrument was tuned, I began playing the melody from the Red Hot Chili Peppers' song _My Friends_. I did spare him the torture of hearing me sing along and, after what I thought was a fairly decent rendering of the first verse and chorus, I put down the guitar and looked up at Eric to watch his reaction.

"Not bad, Sookie," was his verdict, delivered with a smile.

I stood up and gave him a mock-curtsy.

"Can you play?" I asked.

"A little, yes." He caught my raised brows and added, "Eternity is a long time, Sookie, and I have to find ways to distract myself."

"Well, then, show me what _you've_ got," I dared him.

Eric walked towards the sofa and settled comfortably while grabbing the guitar. The instrument looked totally dwarfed in his long arms. I sat down next to him as the first chords from Jimi Hendrix's _Little Wing_ rose in the air. I'd never heard an acoustic version of the classic song – which was one of my all time favorites, incidentally - but it sounded absolutely brilliant. Eric's guitar skills were at an altogether higher level than mine and, oh boy, he could sing too! His melodiously husky voice was intoning the lines with incredible sensuality, and the intensity of his singing was mirrored in the way he looked at me. I was melting. As cliché as it sounds, put a guitar between the hands of a hot guy, and you end up with a hot and bothered woman: that's science.

He finished the song with a flourish and we silently looked at each other for a few seconds. He had a satisfied smirk playing on his beautiful lips (oh, yeah, he was good and knew it) and, without much hesitation, I leaned over and laid a light kiss on the soft pink flesh. I wasn't sure whether I should have done that - it had been two months since we first kissed, and nothing much had come out of that – but I was a bit tired of waiting for things to just happen. I had resolved to _make_ things happen for me; beside, this was _definitely_ a date, whatever Eric claimed.

I was pleased when he just accepted my kiss and didn't flinch away or show any signs of discomfort. Backing off, I said quietly:

"That was wonderful. Thank you, Eric."

"You're more than welcome, Sookie," he replied just as quietly, then he stood up and extended me his hand. "Shall we go?"

After we had exited _Dragon House_, I gaped when I saw Eric's car.

"Eric? A _Corvette_? Really?"

"Isn't she beautiful?" he enthused, as if talking about his first-born, or something. He brushed an appreciative hand over the hood of the car, grinning proudly.

"She's brand new. I hesitated between that one and the red model, but I chose black, in the end. I have to stay incognito, after all."

I chortled at the absurd concept of anybody being discreet in a damn Corvette, and could not resist teasing him a little bit.

"Compensating much?"

"Oh, Sookie; you don't want to go there. Trust me," he calmly replied while holding the door open for me.

I blushed bright red because I knew _exactly_ what was 'there'. I'd seen him naked already, after all, though I wondered if he remembered that.

Entering such a low-rise car in a ladylike manner proved something of a challenge but, once I was settled, I had to admit that this was a really nice car. The interior was incredibly luxurious and still smelled of brand-new leather, and the seat felt amazingly comfortable. My delight with the car was somewhat hampered when Eric began driving like a madman through the streets of Shreveport.

Soon enough, we had stopped in front an elegant building in the center of town, and Eric gallantly escorted me through the gilded doors. As I took he wrapped his cool hand round mine, I found myself daring to hope that this evening would bring me closer to my heart's desire.

* * *

**A/N**:This chapter was a bit of a transitional one, and I apologize if you were expecting more, but it was important to have Sookie settled in her professional life and to give her time to properly reconnect with Eric. The following chapters, however, will be all about romance, so do not despair.

I hope the mechanisms of Sookie's mental weapon were sufficiently made explicit in this chapter. If you have further questions about that, or anything else, do not hesitate to PM me. I'm always happy to chat with my readers. I also answer every reviews so you may leave your questions with your comments.

Thank you for reading. Next chapter **A Date With a Vampire** will be posted on Wednesday morning.

Happy Easter to you all!


	11. A Date With A Vampire

**A/N**: Dear readers, I have made a banner to celebrate my 500th review, which can be seen on my profile.

Thank you all **_so_** much! I am hugely appreciative of your support, and I am especially grateful to my Beta **All About Eric** for all her dedication and hard work. If for some obscure reason you haven't yet checked out her stories, I strongly advise you to take the plunge (_Immortal Beloved_ is serious crack, be warned).

For this chapter, I have borrowed my favourite line from one of my favourite scene of TB. You'll know it when you see it. Also, please forgive me a bit of anachronism: at some point, I make a reference to a book that was published years after the events in this chapter. Call it artistic license.

* * *

_Pardon the way that I stare  
There's nothing else to compare  
The sight of you leaves me weak  
There are no words left to speak  
But if you feel like I feel  
Please let me know that it's real  
You're just too good to be true  
Can't take my eyes off of you_

_I need you baby, if its quite alright_  
_I need you baby to warm my lonely nights_  
_I love you baby. Trust in me when I say it's okay_

- _Can't take my eyes of off you _by Lauryn Hill

**Chapter 11 – A DATE WITH A VAMPIRE**

**EPOV**

"What is this?" Sookie asked, looking around the room in awe.

"It's a restaurant. I'm reliably informed that humans sometimes come here to eat especially prepared foodstuffs," I replied dryly.

Sookie stuck out her tongue before quipping:

"Let me guess: you own it."

My only reply was a self-satisfied grin. I had had the restaurant - one of the best rated in Shreveport - completely closed for the night, and the dining room was deserted, except for the central table, which was elegantly laid. Apart from a waiter and the chef, we were the only people in the place.

I helped Sookie settle down then took my seat right next to her, and we made small talk while she drank from a glass of water. I had fed earlier, as to avoid putting her off her meal by sipping from a blood bag while she ate.

The waiter brought the entrée, a plate of oysters, which Sookie eyed rather suspiciously at first, but soon took a shine to once she sampled them. She did seem a bit self-conscious about making unladylike noises while savouring the molluscs but, unlike some Vampires, I had no issue with watching humans eat.

The second dish, pan-seared salmon with mushrooms and spinach, was served soon after she polished off the last of her oysters. The menu, which I had especially selected for her, wasn't unnecessarily complex or pretentious, as I knew Sookie was a woman of simple tastes. Beside, I recognized that the most humble ingredients could be elevated to unsuspected heights, when handled by the right person. Sookie proved to be an enthusiastic eater, and her love of food was self-evident. She was very vocal about her appreciation for her dinner and kept unwittingly making little sounds of pleasure, which I found utterly charming; not to mention dead sexy.

While she was dining, we chatted. In the past I had often enjoyed conversing with humans, but I deplored the fact that they had lost the art of conversation, in recent decades. While Sookie's conversation was not comparable to the kind I had enjoyed in the Parisian Salons or in the enlightened courts of the past, I very much enjoyed her company. She was unpretentious, direct, charming and funny.

"So, how long is Pam here for?"

"My child has already returned to Seattle. She only came to deliver a message from her new King, who is offering me a position at his court."

Sookie made an unsuccessful attempt to conceal her sudden bout of nervousness, so I hastened to reassure her:

"I'm not going anywhere."

"OK, that's good," she said with a smile.

Changing the subject, she declared:

"I was worried for a while there that Pam would be getting seriously involved with Scarlett. Thanks again for forbidding her to bite my friend, by the way."

The reticence Sookie had shown toward my child's interest in her friend bothered me.

"Would it be so bad to be bitten by a Vampire?" I asked quietly.

"Oh, no! I didn't mean it like that. I wouldn't mind being bitten by you for..."

She caught herself mid-sentence, but not before she had let slip that most interesting piece of information. I made no effort to hide my grin, which caused her to roll her eyes.

"What I mean is, I have all the data I need to make an informed decision about that kind of thing; Scarlett doesn't. I would have felt terrible if I'd let her be used in that way."

"Sookie, Vampires constantly feed off unsuspecting humans," I reasoned.

"I know that, but she's my friend; I can't help being protective of her. Also, I've seen what glamour can do to a mind and I'm not a huge fan."

"You can tell when someone has been glamoured?" I asked, startled.

"Yeah. Sorry, I should have mentioned that. I usually notice it when I meet your… 'friends' at _Dragon House_," she explained, while nervously glancing at me.

"My friends?" I repeated in confusion.

"Well, yes, your women," she clarified. "I do run into them sometimes, when I walk up to your office."

"You've met them while using the backstairs?" I inquired, straining to keep my rising temper in check.

Sookie noticed my sudden tense demeanour and looked at me with unease.

"Eric, what is the problem? I hardly see how I've done anything wrong, here."

Her tone was mildly accusatory, and it was clear she resented her encounters with my feed-and-fucks, but she was not the cause of my upset. After the events in my office two months ago, I had explicitly instructed Soledad to have my meals escorted from the premises via the main stairs once they had served their purpose, precisely in order to spare Sookie's sensibilities. The fact that my directives had been continually ignored was unacceptable, and I would have to have a 'talk' with my second about the consequences of disobeying a direct order.

While I was embarrassed by the mishap, I elected not to dwell on the subject. I wished to avoid blatant displays of callousness but I was, after all, Vampire, and Sookie had to know what that entailed. Instead, I choose to question her on her ability to detect glamour.

"You have done nothing wrong, Sookie; but I'm curious: how can you detect glamour?"

"Well, a tampered-with mental image is blurry at the edges, as if somebody had smudged the contours of the memory. And if I concentrate enough, I can see the concealed part. It a bit like looking at something through a foggy window: you can tell something is there but it's not readily distinguishable."

"Can you access the original memory?"

"If I concentrate enough, yes. I only did it once, though."

I nodded my understanding. This was most interesting, and the applications of this particular skill could be wide-ranging. However, it was also a dangerous ability to have, as Vampires thrived on secrecy, so I would have to tread carefully.

While we were waiting for the cheese board to arrive, the waiter brought a tall glass of a drink I had especially ordered for the occasion. Sookie gazed at the golden liquid with curiosity and inquired:

"What is this? Cider?"

"Not quite. Mead."

"You mean like, _Viking_ mead?"

"I cannot vouch for its authenticity but, judging by the smell alone, it is close enough to what I used to drink when I was still human. I remember enjoying it immensely."

She took a tentative sip.

"Hum, it's sweet. I didn't expect that," she observed, before taking a larger gulp. "I like it."

After a pause, she added with a glint in her eyes:

"You do realize that you're serving alcohol to a minor, don't you?"

"It's only one glass, and I won't tell if you won't," I replied with a wink. "I wanted you to sample a bit of my culture. All the dishes tonight are made from ingredients that would have been part of my diet."

"Oh, I hadn't realized that. That's a wonderful attention, Eric," she declared, seeming genuinely touched.

When the cheese board arrived, Sookie keenly sampled the selection then, after she had tasted everything, she spoke:

"You've never mentioned your family before. Is it OK to ask about them?" I nodded. "What did your father do? And what did you, for instance?"

"I was the second son of the village's chieftain and, after the death of my elder brother, I became his heir. When my father wasn't raiding, forming alliances with other clans or taking care of official village business, he was a farmer, as was I. There wasn't such thing as a leisured class in my time. We had help from slaves, true, but we all worked very hard for everything we had."

"Did you have a wife?"

"I was wed to my brother's widow, when I was 15."

She raised her eyebrow but did not comment otherwise. I was mildly amused that she was more shocked about my domestic arrangements than by the fact that I owned slaves.

"Did you love her?"

"Love is a very modern invention, Sookie. Or, more accurately, marriages of love are the invention. When I was human, you married for political reasons and you sought love in the arms of willing mistresses. But I cared for Aude, in my way. She was strong and clever, and she gave me sons."

"Aude, that's what she was called?" I nodded. "What happened to her, and to your kids?"

A dark mood momentarily overtook me and Sookie must have noticed the change in my features because she hastened to add:

"Oh, God! Eric, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry."

"Your questions are not unwelcome, Sookie; I have good memories of my human life. But thoughts of my mortal years inevitably bring thoughts of the one who cut them short in such an untimely way. I have already told you of my Maker, and I do not wish for his sinister ghost to tarnish our evening."

"I understand, of course. Let's talk about something else."

Her eyes were full of concern and that bothered me. I did not want her sympathy or, even worse, her pity.

"I do not regret having been turned, Sookie. Being a Vampire has brought me many joys and triumphs, and I am very good at it. In many ways I was born for it. Never pity me my fate."

She nodded and finished the last of her mead.

"I'm glad you were turned as well; I would never have met you otherwise."

"Yes, the last 1,000 years were worth bearing just to experience the pleasure of being routinely sworn at, yelled at, infuriated by and, in a recent development, molested by a delectable little Fairy."

"I'm only part-Fae and I'm not little, I'm 5'9 ½," she huffed. "And I haven't sworn at you lately."

"True, you have been too busy smashing up my presents in my absence," I retorted.

"_Present,_ in the singular; and that was a low blow, you bastard," she grumped, and I burst out laughing.

"Ah, it's good to be home."

I could see her fighting a laugh as she attempted to hold down to her outrage.

"You haven't been complaining much about the so-called molestation," she observed dryly.

"No, I haven't," I replied quietly.

Our eyes met and I could see my own lust mirrored in her eyes. The waiter chose this moment to re-appear with the dessert and a cup of apple tea.

"Oh, Eric, thank you! I love ice-cream, and this looks delicious," she pronounced excitedly.

"It's a special order, all made from scratch," I informed her.

"Really? Is it from Brocato's?" she inquired, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "I went there once with Gran, it was so awesome!"

"No, this is from Berthillon's. Do you know of them?"

I wasn't surprised when she shook her head no, as that particular brand was, shall we say, 'exotic', but I had been reliably informed that Berthillon ice-creams were the best available, and I would only have the best for Sookie.

She eyed the colourful balls greedily and scooped at a red one with her spoon. As soon as the frozen chunk hit her tongue, she slumped in her chair.

"Oh my goodness! This is heaven!" she purred, closing her eyes and making obscene little sounds with her mouth.

My pants were getting quite uncomfortable, even though she was oblivious of the effect she was having on my libido.

"Where did you find that Berthillon shop?"

"Paris."

"Paris? As in Paris, Texas?"

"Paris as in Paris, France," I replied neutrally, keeping my smirk in check.

"You flew _ice-cream_ from Paris?"

"Of course not!" I exclaimed in simulated shock, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "I flew an ice-cream _artisan_ from Paris."

I grinned at the astonished look on her face; it was all so easy to get a rise out of her.

"You did _not_!" she protested.

I bent down to give her a peck on the lips then murmured in her ear:

"Only for Sookie."

Her skin took on the most delicate shade of crimson at my words. I could spend all of my time finding ways to embarrass her just to enjoy her delightful blush. She finished her dish in silence, except for the moans and other orgasmic sounds she uttered every time she took a mouthful, and I quietly observed her while attempting to get my erection to subside. When she was done, I bent my head down to look at the time on my watch, which caused my hair to fall in a curtain around my face. As I felt Sookie's hand brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, I looked up and was met by eyes filled with tenderness.

"You are so beautiful," she declared.

Her comment took me by surprise; not that I hadn't had received many compliments on my appearance over the centuries (some of them very elaborate, such as the sonnet Oscar Wilde once wrote solely about my lips). Standards of beauty had evolved over time but, somehow, regular features, a great stature and piercing blue eyes were always in vogue for men. I was perfectly well aware of the effect I had on both sexes, but the way Sookie uttered those simple words touched me unexpectedly. I knew she wasn't stroking my ego; her compliment was, for lack of a better word, completely candid.

She let her fingertips graze my cheekbone and down to my jaw, and I responded to her touch as would a tulip to the sun, swivelling my head to seek more contact, more warmth. My reaction created a shift in her, and a fresh wave of lust flooded the bond. She bent over the table and brazenly claimed my lips.

Our kiss was luscious, as I could taste the sweetness of the tea and the ice cream still lingering on her tongue. I growled as she nipped at my lower lip, before suckling at the swollen flesh. I was careful not to breach her with my extended fangs but was almost overcome with pleasure as she licked at the sharp teeth with her wet tongue, one fang after the other. _Gods_, this woman knew how to drive me insane with lust.

I was thankfully spared the humiliation of climaxing in my pants, like a teenager, when she broke the kiss. Ghosting her lips over my skin until she reached my ear, she whispered:

"Yield to me, Eric."

I almost burst out laughing, not because her words were ridiculous, but because they were so unexpected. Those were words I routinely spoke to my most recalcitrant conquests. To have my own utterance turned around and used on me was, well, one of the most erotic things I had ever heard. I turned to meet her eyes.

"Sookie, are you trying to seduce me?"

"Is it working?" she asked kittenishly.

"You are playing with fire, Sookie," I warned.

"Hum, I think I can handle the heat" she whispered, brushing the tip of her nose against my cheek.

I was painfully aware that Sookie was willingly offering herself to me and, despite all my instincts screaming at me to claim her right this moment, on the table… on the floor… against the wall… over the bar counter… I could not; I _would_ not.

I did not fully understand my reluctance, as it was deeply uncharacteristic of me. Sookie was a gorgeous creature, and I desired her with every fibre of my being. Usually, I was the kind of man who would simply take whatever he wanted - especially when it was so enticingly offered – and damn the consequences. Sookie would not be the youngest girl I had lain with, nor would she be the first virgin I had deflowered; but with her, somehow, it was different.

The undeniable truth was that I cared.

Maybe for the first time in my life, I cared about what mark I would leave on a woman. Ordinarily, my only concern was to bring pleasure to my conquests. I was not a brute, and I wanted my partners to enjoy our carnal encounters as much as I did but, beyond that, I remained oblivious. Would they regret yielding to me the next morning? Would they be heartbroken by my leaving? Would they shed tears over my indifference? None of those questions ever troubled me. Like Julius Caesar, I came, I saw, I conquered. And then, a few hours before dawn, I left. Such was my modus operandi.

But looking into those unaffected blue eyes, I knew I could never subject Sookie to such treatment. It wasn't only the fact that I valued her friendship; it was also the fact that I knew with certainty that, with her, once would never be enough, and sex would only be the beginning.

And that scared me.

I was afraid of not doing things the right way; of bruising her, of losing her. I never wanted her to look at me and see a mistake.

After a pause, I spoke:

"Sookie, you're 17…" I began.

"And based on what you've told me earlier, if I were a Viking woman, I would already be a mother and pregnant with my second kid, as we speak," she cut in.

I chuckled. Clever little minx.

"That is true, but you must understand something: when I was human, there was no such thing as teenage hood, or young adulthood. One day you were a child and then the next you were a man. Even if I've never experienced it, I can see that what you have now is special. This is your youth, Sookie, your golden age of innocence; and you're never getting these years back. Are you certain you want to hand such gift over to me? You might think me exciting, but I come burdened with a lot of darkness."

Sookie shook her head.

"You don't understand Eric, you're not stealing anything away from me. On the contrary, you have given me _so_ much, and I can't even begin to imagine what my life would have been if you hadn't found me that night 11 years ago. You are a gift to me, however I look at it."

She paused to smile at me.

"I can see you're not really taking me seriously, and how can I blame you? I've behaved less than maturely in the very recent past but, I can assure you, I know what I am asking of you and I am certain of what I want. This is not a girlish crush for me and, let's not forget, I come with some darkness of my own. Fairy, remember? Normal is only ever going to be a word for me, not a reality. Even if I had a shot at my own white picket fence utopia, I wouldn't want it. I don't want normal, I don't want conventional. I want you. I want all of you."

Sookie's declaration left me reeling with an emotion I could not quite identify. I had been desired by many women - and men -, I had had treasures laid at my feet just for a night of passion, and I had been fought over; but never had I been loved. And I was certain that this was what Sookie was offering me. Love, as humans defined it: the complete and total acceptance of another.

Unlike thousands of others before her, she wasn't merely lusting after my body, my wealth or my power; she was not looking for a walk on the wild side or a taste of the forbidden fruit. She claimed she wanted all of me, and I could read the truth of her words in her eyes and feel the intensity of her sentiments through the bond. She knew me better than anybody else - with the exception of Pam - she knew what I was, who I was, and who I could be. And she wanted it all.

Sookie brought me out of my reverie

"That was too much, wasn't it?" she asked, shaking her head. "I wasn't planning on scaring you away with my… intensity," she scoffed at herself. "You must think I'm some kind of crazy stalker or something…"

She was worried that her openness had frightened me. Coming from any other woman, it would have, most definitely; but her words had been a caress to my cold, dead heart. I cupped her warm cheek in my hand and rubbed circles on her cheekbone with my thumb.

"No, Sookie, it was… just enough. But I need to think. I have wanted to protect you almost from the minute I saw you, and this is no different. You must be patient with me while I ponder the implications of walking this road with you."

What I needed to do was to talk to Pam, as she was the only one I could discuss my doubts with. She had been a human woman, after all, a long time ago, before her blood turned into ice and her heart into coal. And damn her and her _Dear Abby_ nonsense, but she was as close to a confidante as I would ever have. She would probably never allow me to live it down but I would swallow my pride and take it upon myself to call the sarcastic witch and ask her for relationship advice.

Sookie nodded and, with a small smile, she declared:

"I'll wait, Eric; but not forever. I want you, and you'll always be my first choice; but I need to start living for me, not for what could be."

"I understand that, Sookie, and I won't leave you dangling indefinitely."

"In that case, I'll give you the space you need to reach a decision. Whatever you decide, know that you'll always have my friendship."

She took hold of my hand to kiss my palm and I welcomed the caress. This was good, this was right, this could be mine.

Mine.

After I had escorted Sookie back to her home, I drove to my lair and, after settling on my bed, I dialled my child.

"Pam," came the unmistakable bored voice.

"Child, I need advice."

"Master. Is it about the curvy blonde?" Damn my child and her flawless intuition.

"Her name is Sookie."

"Are you calling me to ask for some sex tips?"

"I know all there is to know about fucking, as you are well aware of, Pamela."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I've learnt a few tricks since the last time we…"

"And I probably taught whoever showed you those tricks everything they know," I cut in. "Pam, let's cut the crap. I did not call for advice on how to seduce Sookie. She is quite willing and eager to come to my bed of her own volition."

"OK, so what is the problem?"

I paused, not knowing how to formulate my question.

"Master?"

"I'm still here," I grumbled. "I… I need advice on how to… _court_ Sookie. Properly court her, I mean, as she would expect a human male to do."

The line went silent for almost a minute.

"Pam?"

"Yes, sorry, Master. Are you saying you want to seriously date Sookie?"

"I suppose this is the modern term, yes," I conceded.

Another pregnant pause.

"Who are you and what have you done with my Maker?"

I rolled my eyes at the receiver.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Pam, if you have nothing relevant to say, I will hang up and seek counsel elsewhere."

"No, Master, don't go! You cannot imagine how long I have waited to have the opportunity to use my _Dear Abby-_acquired wisdom."

I groaned.

"Spit it out, Pam."

I could hear the rustling of sheets down the receiver as Pam shifted on what I assumed was her bed.

"Pam, are you in bed?"

"Yes, Master."

"Are you alone?"

"Do you think that likely, Master?" she snarked.

"Do not tell me that you are discussing my personal affairs while your latest plaything lies within earshot!" I bellowed, incensed. It was humiliating enough that my child knew of my emotional incompetence, but I would not allow a human to become privy to that piece of knowledge.

"Oh, calm down, Eric! She's out for the count and glamoured to the hilt, anyway." She paused. "It seems our little telepath has you wound up quite tightly."

"Advice, Pam!" I commanded, and I heard my child chuckle down the line, which was rather disconcerting: Pam wasn't the chuckling type.

"Forgive me, Master. I haven't had this much fun since you wore bell bottom pants in the 70s."

"Pam!" I growled in warning.

"Fine, fine! _Dear Abby_ says that to win the heart of a woman, you first need to invite her out for a date, to get to know her."

"Already done, and I have known Sookie for years."

"You had a date with Sookie?" she asked, startled.

"This very evening."

"I really need to get to know that telepath," Pam remarked after a pause.

"Let's stay on topic, shall we? Is that it? A date?"

"No. If the date goes well, _Dear Abby_ says that you should ask the woman to officially go out with you. Possibly, you should wait after several successful dates but, as you've pointed out, you've known Sookie for years, so one date should be enough."

"Sookie has already made it clear that she wishes us to become… official, so to say."

"What did you answer?"

"I said I would think about it."

Silence.

"Pam?"

"I do hope Sookie hasn't read the book _He's Not That Into You_, or you might find yourself dateless very soon, Master."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means you need to ask her out."

"Already did, this evening. Pam, are you listening?"

My child groaned in frustration.

"No, Eric! I mean you need to ask her to be your _girl-friend_." She over-pronounced the last word, as if addressing a simpleton.

"Do not be preposterous," I snorted.

"_Dear Abby_ is categorical. Human women are most attached to this ritual."

"I am a 1,000 year-old Vampire Sheriff, Pam. I do not have 'girlfriends'."

"Fine. Then ask her to be your pet, and see how well that goes down," she chuckled.

"You are fucking useless, Pamela," I snapped, and slammed down the receiver.

Well, that was a waste of time, I thought. And yet, I couldn't help replaying my child's words in my head, over and over again.

* * *

**A/N**: I forgot to say that before but while I know that in the books Sookie's birthday is on July 1st, for the purpose of this story it's on June 1st. I'm only saying this for the two other people who care as much as I do about pointless trivia.

Next chapter **Mine** will be published early next Saturday.


	12. Mine

_Wise men say only fools rush in  
But I can't help falling in love with you (…)_

_Like a river flows surely to the sea_  
_Darling so it goes_  
_Some things are meant to be_

_Take my hand, take my whole life too_  
_For I can't help falling in love with you_

- _Can't Help Falling in Love _by Elvis Presley

**Chap 12: MINE**

**SPOV**

The morning after our date was a Friday, which meant I had the day off. I slept late, and then went for a swim at my gym, to clear my mind.

Last night had been good - a perfect date, really - and I thought Eric and I had connected at a deeper level than before. I had put all my cards on the table and it was now his move. I was aware I'd come on strong, but I knew that if I didn't make the first step, our relationship could stagnate for years.

It didn't escape my notice that he'd evaded the topic of his many women last night, but I also realized that I had no right to challenge him on this aspect of his life until we made the decision to become an actual couple. Stolen kisses here and there didn't give me the right to call myself anything more than a romantic interest, at best, of which he had plenty.

I'd been relieved to learn that his reluctance to take things to the next level were due to him not wanting to rob me of my youth and innocence, and not due to a lack of attraction. He was an honorable man, and that made him that much sexier in my mind.

After my swimming session, I met up with Jason and Tatiana for an impromptu lunch. My brother had finally decided to introduce his long-term girlfriend to Gran and would come up to Bon Temps with her on Sunday. Tatiana confessed she was worried about Gran's reaction to her dating Jason, and I guess her anxiety was warranted: Gran was a Southern lady who was old enough to remember a time when interracial marriages were still illegal. Jason and I were quick to reassure her, insisting that Gran was devoid of prejudice and had been such a great admirer of Martin Luther King, Jr. that, as a young woman, she'd once attended one of his _March Against Fear_.

I was delighted for them both, but Jason's initiative made me reflect on my own complicated situation. If Eric and I were to be a couple (and at this point, that was still a big _if_), would we ever have the option to be open about our relationship? Even without taking into consideration the fact that Eric was dead and drank blood for dinner, I couldn't imagine Gran being very pleased with the idea of me romancing my much older boss. I filed away that topic, as it was pointless to speculate on something that was still very hypothetical.

When I got back to the apartment, I was delighted to see that Eric had had a gift basket delivered. Instead of flowers or food, it was full of books on the Viking Age and Norse mythology. I'd grilled him with questions about his human life during our meal and on the way home, and he'd obviously noted my interest. Expectantly, I opened the message he had pinned on the basket's handle.

_My Sookie,_

_I am looking forward to seeing you tonight. We have much to discuss._

_Sunset cannot come soon enough,_

_E_

Well, that did sound promising. I tried not to read too much into his words, thought, as I wanted to avoid setting myself up for disappointment. I spent the afternoon browsing the book selection Eric had sent for me then, an hour before sunset, I got ready, opting for a casual summer dress, since he hadn't hinted at anything formal.

Eric called me 20 minutes after dark.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Sookie. How was your day?"

I burst out laughing.

"OK, Eric, you're creeping me out!"

"Would you prefer I went straight to the point? I like that option better too, but you keep accusing me of poor manners."

"Well, you _are_ awfully rude, but I've kind of got used to it by now," I chuckled.

"Shall we have some privacy in the apartment tonight?" he asked.

"Jason and his girlfriend are there at the moment, though they plan to head out soon. We might need to go somewhere else, for the time being."

"Very well, then. I am waiting for you downstairs. Are you ready for me, Sookie?"

"For you? Always!" I teased, ending the call before he had a chance to reply.

Eric, looking gorgeous in a tailored grey suit, greeted me with a kiss on the hand. Seeing him looking so dapper, I briefly worried that I had under-dressed, but he reassured me by informing me that we were headed to _Dragon House, _as he had to work later that night. We rode in comfortable silence, then went up to his office.

As soon as the door had been closed, Eric stunned me by sweeping me into a tight embrace and laying the mother of all kisses on my lips. Let me tell you, a millennium of kissing practice gets you your money's worth and then some. I lost myself in the moment, breathing through my nose so as not to put an end to our lip-lock, while Eric was busying himself ruining me forever for the entire male sex. Of all the kisses we'd shared, this one was the most erotically charged yet.

Eric pushed my back against the wall until our bodies were smashed into each other. I could feel his erection pressing against me and I had to exert all of my self-control to refrain from reaching out for it. I knew it would be unwise to take this make-out session too far (we had yet to define our relationship, after all, even though this kiss was encouraging), but I was struggling to rein in my lust. Instead, I began to explore 'safer' parts of his drool-worthy body. I trailed my hands up the sides of his lean and muscular torso, then along his beautifully defined upper arms; I lingered on his broad shoulders then my hands headed downward on his back, until I reached his ass. I had been fantasizing about cupping and squeezing his glorious backside for years and, tonight, I went for it. I heard him growl and tense under my touch and, for a split second, I thought he was about to take my hands away, but then he didn't. I was pleased that he was accepting of my caresses, but my satisfaction was short-lived.

Breaking off our kiss, Eric stepped away from me and sat on the sofa, a thoughtful expression on his face. I could not stop the exasperated sigh that escaped my lips: I was _so_ done with his game of hot and cold. At the same time, I knew that I had to abide by my promise to give him space. I realized I'd put a lot of pressure on him, and a lot of expectations. We were visibly at different places right now, and I couldn't expect him to be ready for a relationship with me just because I'd been waiting for him for so long. I needed to distance myself from a situation that increasingly looked like it would lead to heartbreak. Maybe what I needed was to date other people, and experience a genuine romantic connection with someone who wanted me unquestioningly. As much as I desired Eric, I had to admit to myself that pushing him in a direction he wasn't certain he wanted to take would result in disaster. Taking a deep breath, I spoke resignedly:

"Eric, it's OK. We don't have to do this. I value your friendship above all things and, as long as we have this connection, I'll be happy."

He raised his eyes to meet mine and frowned.

"I want to do this, Sookie; I want to claim you," he declared with sincerity. "All of you," he added with a small smile. "I'm just thinking about something Pam told me."

I sat down next to him and took his hand.

"What is it, Eric?"

He seemed to hesitate. After a few pregnant moments, he finally asked:

"Sookie, do you want to be my… girlfriend?"

He had said the last word with a rather puzzled expression on his face, as if it was a word in the English language he had never come across before, and I burst out laughing. While I was elated to hear him utter these words, it seemed utterly incongruous for a 1,000 year-old Viking Vampire to be asking me out like that. I had expected him to ask me to be 'his', in the more traditionally Vampiric fashion. Eric didn't seem to find humor in the situation and looked at me sternly. I quickly put my amusement under wraps and answered:

"I'm sorry Eric, I didn't mean to be insensitive. It's just that it's the last thing I expected to come out of your mouth."

It was clear from his expression that we were in agreement on that.

"Pam informed me that if I wished our… relationship to go in a certain direction, I would have to follow certain human customs."

He looked mildly embarrassed by this admission and I stifled a giggle before asking:

"Did she read that in _Dear Abby_?"

Eric had told me of his child's fascination with the advice column. The roll of his eyes gave me all the answer I needed and I laughed. When I had calmed down enough, I declared seriously:

"Yes Eric, I would love to be your girlfriend."

A bright smile illuminated his features, and I was sure I was smiling like a fool myself. He leaned over for a tender kiss then asked:

"Do you understand what being my 'girlfriend' means in the Vampire world?"

"We've been over that already," I replied with a smile.

"Humor me, please," he insisted.

He obviously wanted for me to be 100% certain, and I was touched by his concern. I answered without hesitation:

"It means I'm yours. It means only you can feed from me, or touch me. It means I'm under your protection."

I had never been more grateful for my lessons at 'Supe School'.

"And are you sure that's what you want?"

"Absolutely certain, Eric. I want to be yours."

Eric smiled, visibly satisfied with my answers, but I wasn't quite done with the subject and I loudly cleared my throat:

"Ahem, Eric? Do you know what being _my_ boyfriend means in the human world?"

He let out a laugh.

"My feisty little Fairy…"

"Well, do you?" I insisted.

After a pause, he spoke:

"I assume that you are referring to the concept of monogamy."

The 'concept' of monogamy? That did not sound good.

"Hum, yes, Eric. If I'm with a guy, I refuse to share him with anyone else."

"Things are different for Vampires, Sookie. It is not practical to only feed from a single donor."

I internally cringed at being referred to as a donor but chose to let that one slide in order to concentrate on the more pressing issue.

"I do not like the idea of you feeding from anyone else but me, but I realize that I will have to get used to the idea… I guess. However, I was thinking more about sex."

Eric raised an eyebrow.

"You do realize that sex and feeding are intimately linked for Vampires, don't you?"

I raised an eyebrow of my own.

"Does that mean that you won't be able to feed from me without having sex with me?"

Eric looked a bit miffed at having been outsmarted, but recovered swiftly.

"Things are different with you. I am purposely reining myself in because you are a virgin. I will not fuck you over my desk, like a cheap one-night-stand."

I scowled at him. There was so many grating things about his retort: first, he obviously thought I was a done deal and would not object if he decided to bend me over his desk and fuck me senseless (OK, I'd given him all the signs that he was probably right, but I did not enjoy his cavalier attitude); secondly, he was implying that the only thing that separated me from his one-night-stands was my virginity. And was I to understand that he had no regard for his usual partners, yet would not consider giving them up for me? What did that say about his opinion of me?

I scooted away from him and crossed my arms before declaring tightly:

"Eric, first of all, I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to sleep with you or not. You're not the first guy I've made out with or got hot and heavy with, and that doesn't mean I am ready to take things further. Secondly, I don't really care if your Vampire instincts tell you to bang everything with a pulse. The fact is that you can control yourself if you want to..."

Eric was about to butt in but I cut him off with a wave of my hand.

"If the only reason you 'rein yourself in' is because of my virginity, then does that mean that the moment I lose it to you I will become like one of your cheap one-night-stands, as you so kindly call them?"

"Do not be preposterous, Sookie!" he replied crossly. "When have I ever treated you with less than a respectful attitude?"

"And yet, you won't make the effort not to have sex with your meals, something you have just admitted you _can_ do, even though you know that it would upset me and make me feel cheap!"

I was close to tearful now, and Eric looked annoyed by the sour turn of the conversation.

"Sookie, you are applying human standards to a Vampire. Surely, you can see how ridiculous that is?"

"Well, I _am_ human! And do I have to remind you that I'm willing to make some major concessions in order to be with you? Like, oh I don't know, letting you _suck other people's blood;_ and allowing you to declare me _your property_; and resigning myself to having to lie about you to all the people I care about!"

I knew I was being hysterical now, and I briefly shut my eyes and breathed in to make me stop talking. Eric had been looking uncomfortable during my rant and was now staring at me warily. I remained silent: I had said my piece and the ball was now in his court. Besides, I didn't trust myself not to go into another rant if I opened my mouth again. After a few heavy minutes of silence, Eric spoke:

"You say you have not decided yet whether or not you intend to be my lover."

I barely concealed my annoyance. Was that all he got from our conversation? Talk about a one-track-mind.

"That's what I said, yes," I replied tersely.

"You expect me to me faithful to you yet you would deny me sex?"

I huffed exasperatedly.

"Whether or not I have sex with you depends on how seriously you decide to take our relationship. I have no intention of being your Fae bit on the side. If you want me, _all of me_, then you will have to give up all others. I won't have it any other way."

Eric was silent once more, before leaning towards me. I flinched involuntarily but relaxed when he cupped my cheek in his hand. Caressing me softly, he said:

"Sookie, you mean a lot to me. Over the years, I have come to care for you with an intensity I did not think I was capable of. You have touched me more than any human I have encountered in a millennium. Not since Pam have I wanted to protect someone like I want to shield you. Other women mean _nothing_ to me."

I was touched by his unexpected declaration but I knew I had to stand my ground.

"But they mean a lot to _me_, Eric."

He considered my words then finally nodded and took me in his arms, hugged me tenderly and, after placing a kiss on my forehead, he declared:

"In that case, I will agree to your terms."

I looked up at him, needing to read the truth of his words in his eyes. He smiled down at me.

"I will not lie with any woman but you. On this I give you my word."

"That includes oral sex and hand jobs," I added quickly.

Eric let out a belly laugh.

"Yes, my feisty little Fairy. You will be the only recipient of my attentions from now on."

I smiled brightly at him, my shoulders sagging with relief. I had just converted a 1,000 year-old pagan Vampire to the 'concept of monogamy' in ten minutes flat. Not bad, Sookie, not bad!

"Well then, _boyfriend_, why don't claim what is rightfully yours?" I said, suggestively offering my neck to him.

Instead of the passionate response I had been expecting, Eric seemed to hesitate. I felt my petulance boil to the surface and it took all of my willpower to simmer down. I took a deep breath and, in as calm and collected a voice as I could muster, I asked:

"Is something else the matter, Eric?"

"Yes, Sookie," he replied quietly. "Thank you for being patient with me; I can feel your frustration through the bond, as well as the efforts you are making to get hold of yourself."

He laid another kiss on my forehead before carrying on:

"There is one last thing we must discuss: the Bond."

"The bond? What about it?" I asked, puzzled.

I knew Eric could feel my emotions and my location through the magical blood bond that linked us, but it had never been an issue for either of us.

"No, Sookie, the _Bond_."

He gave me a pointed look and the gravity of his expression, combined with the emphasis he had put on the word, made me realize that he was referring to the permanent Bond that occurred after three mutual exchanges of blood. I hadn't even considered that possibility until he brought it up.

"Do you mean to say that, if you drink from me, we will begin forming a permanent Bond?"

"That is what I suspect, yes. You've had my blood less than three weeks ago, and it is still fresh in your system. I believe that, if I feed from you tonight, it might constitute a first exchange."

I was silently considering his words as a permanent Bond was another level of commitment altogether. A thought occurred to me and I chose to share it:

"We would need three mutual exchanges for a permanent Bond to form, right? Anything less would be reversible?"

He nodded.

"Then, even if tonight's feeding began the Bonding process, we would still have a window of opportunity to stop all blood exchanges, if that's what you wanted. Nothing irreversible would have happened."

"But the question is, what do _you_ want, Sookie?" he inquired gravely.

"You already know the answer to that question, Eric," I stated, looking him straight in the eyes.

_All of you._

After a pause, he caressed my cheek and declared:

"So be it."

I was flooded with relief as we passed what I hoped was the last hurdle on our way to a deeper connection.

"So, is this the part where you ravish me, Viking?" I teased.

Eric's only answer was a growl and another searing kiss. As we broke off, he asked:

"Do you want us to go somewhere else?"

"I like your conference room, it has a large table," I suggested coyly.

There was also the fact that, from what I had gleaned from the minds of his 'lady friends', he never brought any of his conquests there, but I didn't mention that aloud.

"I do like the way you think," he replied with a fangy smile.

Eric escorted me into the next room and turned on a couple of lights while I sat on the edge of the oval table. He stalked towards me with the grace of the predator he in fact was, and laid his hands flat on the gleaming surface, on either side of my hips. Staring at me, he declared:

"You can still change your mind, Sookie. If you're not comple…"

I cut his speech with a passionate kiss then whispered in his ear:

"If you don't bite me now, Vampire, I swear I'm gonna scream."

With a deep chuckle, Eric bent his head and licked languorously at my neck, his cool tongue sending chills down my spine, and I grabbed at the edge of the table for support.

Oh God, this was real! This was _really_ happening. I had dreamt of little else for the past two years and, tonight, Eric and I were finally getting together in a way that was meaningful for the both of us. I was no longer 'little one', or merely 'Sookie'; I was 'his' and he was about to make it official.

I felt Eric's fangs grazing at my skin and instinctively bucked my hips in response. I didn't know if it was a standard response to be that excited at the prospect of being bitten, or if my body's reaction was entirely due to Eric's proximity, but I could feel my panties getting increasingly drenched. Eric must have smelt my arousal because I heard him chuckling quietly against my neck.

A second later, I experienced a small prickle as the tip of his fangs breached my skin. I felt him sink into me and begin to suck, only to withdraw after a couple of seconds. Puzzled, I turned to face him and was about to ask him what was wrong when I took in his expression: his eyes were closed and he was wearing a rapturous look on his face. I heard him whisper:

"Beautiful. Just… exquisite."

I think I must have had the goofiest smile plastered on my face. His obvious appreciation of my blood had me feeling extremely pleased with myself: for the first time since forever, I saw an upside to my Faeryness.

Eric opened his eyelids and looked at me with glazed eyes.

"Sookie, your blood is simply… exceptional. I am going to enjoy this _very_ much; but I want you to enjoy it just as much."

There, he put a hand on my hip and then slid it down, to caress my thigh over my dress. I gasped at his touch, and my arousal spiked sharply. He gave me a fangy smile, bent forwards and whispered in my ear, still caressing me through the fabric of my dress:

"Will you let me pleasure you, Sookie?"

"Yes…" I answered breathily.

At that precise moment, there was nothing I would not have let Eric do to or for me, but I knew he would not take things too far as he had already vowed not to take my virginity in such an unromantic setting.

My Vampire rewarded me with a deep kiss, his tongue expertly probing and teasing while his hands snaked beneath the hem of my dress and up to my inner thigh, his cool touch a delightful contrast against my warm skin. When his finger grazed the thin triangle covering my sex, I let out an involuntary moan and bucked closer to his hand. He reacted by rubbing me until moisture seeped through the lace then, in a sudden motion, he tugged at the side of my panties until the lace broke and I was left exposed to his intimate exploration. As he began to tease and stroke with long fingers that had me vibrating with want, he returned his attentions to my neck, lapping indolently at the skin.

I wantonly panted and moaned as he slid a finger into me, then another, only to retract them immediately to draw circles over my clit. He repeated this divine torture until his fingers were fully coated with my arousal, and I was nearing release. As my breath became more erratic, he intensified the rhythm and depth of his ministrations until I began to clench around his digits.

And then, he bit.

I jerked my head backwards and cried out, as pleasure such as I had never experienced pulsed in and around my inner core.

When my breath evened out, I angled my head to look at my Vampire. He had just finished licking at my puncture points and was staring at me with a look of pure bliss etched on his face. Then, he did the most erotic thing I have ever witnessed: he drew back his wet fingers from between my thighs and, maintaining eye contact, he licked them clean.

"You taste sweet everywhere, lover," he purred.

Lover? That was a new one. I liked it.

I suddenly noticed the presence of a large and painful-looking bump down his pants. He had obviously enjoyed himself, but not as much as I had, and I was eager to remedy the situation. I began fidgeting with the fly of his jeans, attempting to pry the damn thing open, but Eric put his hand over mine.

"Baby, let me please you back," I breathed.

Eric raised an eyebrow at my term of endearment (well, I guess calling a 1,000 year-old Vampire 'baby' was rather over the top) but grinned as he set my hands aside.

"You have already greatly pleased me, lover. Many times over," he said, kissing my fingers with reverence.

"So we're clear, Eric: did you just turn down a blow job?"

He laughed out loud.

"I am merely displaying the supreme self-control I will have to rely on to abide by the terms of our agreement," he replied with a smile."Besides," he added, "we must stop now unless you wish to leave my office missing more than a pair of panties. The combination of your delicious blood and the scent and taste of your arousal is already testing me greatly. I cannot guarantee I would be able to behave if you added yet another stimulus to the mix."

I was my turn to laugh. We rested against each other, lost in post-orgasmic/post-feeding bliss, our foreheads and nose tips touching, and our arms intertwined.

Our little bubble was popped by a knock on the door.

"Sheriff? I have Andre on the line. He says it's urgent," came Soledad's voice.

Eric mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'son of a bitch' and I giggled. Speaking louder, he instructed:

"Tell him I am otherwise occupied at the moment and will call him back promptly."

I waited until I heard Soledad's steps retreat from the office before asking:

"Does the blood bond feel different to you? I can't tell."

He appeared lost in his thoughts for a few moments before replying:

"Surprisingly, no. The connection is there, of course, but no deeper than before. Had we completed the first step towards a permanent Bond, I should have been able to sense you with more accuracy, by now."

"What does this mean?"

I had not considered a permanent Bond before but, now that the issue had been raised between us, I knew I wanted it; maybe not straight away, but I wanted it to be an option for us.

"I _think_ it means that we would need to feed off each other _simultaneously_, for it to constitute a proper exchange. My blood Magic appears to behave atypically when combined with yours, my little Fairy. Normal rules do not seem to apply."

"But it is still a possibility, right? We could still Bond if we chose to?"

"I most definitely hope so," he replied, his tone solemn.

After a couple of minutes of meaningful silence, Eric spoke again:

"I would love nothing more than stay here all night with you, lover, but duty calls."

I nodded my understanding and righted myself. I was about to discard my ruined panties when Eric took them from my hands and folded them neatly, as if they were a precious relic, before stuffing them into his pants pocket.

"Your scent will make the rest of the evening bearable," he explained.

He took my hand to escort me to the roof for the flight home. On our way out, we bumped into Soledad, outside his office. Her fangs shot out instinctively at the smell of fresh sex, then she blanched three shades whiter than her already pale white when she saw our joined hands. I gave her my brightest grin. _Oh no, you miserable harpy! Not even you can ruin this moment._ I thought we would just carry on moving but Eric stopped dead in his tracks to face her. Still holding my hand, he spoke, his face a mask:

"Soledad, you remember Miss Stackhouse, don't you?"

She nodded, still looking shaken.

"Sookie is mine," Eric stated sternly, and I swear I heard the female Vampire audibly swallow.

From the way Eric was staring her down, I could tell I was missing something important. He looked pissed, and I would have to ask him later what Soledad had done to make him so mad. After a pause, he continued:

"You are not to share that information with anyone, under penalty of final death, but you are to show Miss Stackhouse the proper respect and deference due to my mate."

_My mate?_ This one was even better than _lover_. At that moment, you couldn't have scraped the grin from my face with an excavator.

"And Soledad," he added icily, menace dripping from every syllable, "I _strongly_ advise that you follow my orders to the letter. Unfortunate things may happen if you don't, as I do not take kindly to insubordination or 'creative' interpretation of my directives."

After another deadly glare at his second-in-command, who was positively vibrating with fear by now, Eric turned to me and gently said:

"Let's go, lover."

Back in my apartment building, Eric and I shared a lengthy kiss goodbye at my front door and then, he was gone.

I was still floating on a cloud when I arrived at Gran's the next day.

"You looks chirpy, dear," she remarked, as I was recreating the 'I Feel Pretty' scene from _West Side Story_ (minus the singing; I do have a heart).

"I feel great, Gran," I answered brightly.

"Sookie, a delivery man came an hour ago. Apparently, you have an admirer," she said, pointing to a gorgeous arrangement of orchids on the kitchen table.

I gasped with delight then scooted up to the table and opened the small card pinned on the wrapping paper.

_To my one and only,_

_E_

I admit I _might_ have swooned; just a _little_ bit. Eric sure knew how to pack a sucker punch in five measly words.

I was still holding the card, avidly memorizing every cursive line of his writing, when I became aware of Gran observing me oh so discreetly from her post in front of the stove. When she caught my eyes, she inquired innocently:

"Are you going to volunteer some information about this mystery suitor, Sookie?"

"Oh… yeah… It's, err, just a guy at work."

"A colleague, dear?"

"Kind of, yeah…"

Gran rolled her eyes at my teen speak.

"Might I know his name or is that protected information?" she asked sarcastically.

I knew she could tell I was stalling and was being purposely vague. I would not be able to skirt around the issue.

"It's Eric Northman, Gran," I finally confessed.

Her eyebrows shot up.

"Your _boss_, Sookie?"

I nodded. I could see the disapproval in her eyes and felt deeply uncomfortable.

"Is that really wise, my dear? And how old is he exactly?"

Whoa! That was one piece of information that I was _definitely_ not going to share. It would be hard enough to sell Eric as a businessman in his mid to late-twenties as it was.

"I think he's around… 26? Something like that…" She eyed me skeptically. "Gran, we've known each other for a couple of months now, and he's always been a perfect gentleman to me, and he's fantastic company. I know it's not really done to entertain a romantic interest in your boss but we really like each other and we keep things very professional in the workplace."

I couldn't help blushing at the amount of half-truths (if not outright lies) I had packed into that little statement. I hated being dishonest with Gran but, when it came to Eric, the truth was simply not an option.

Gran stared at me for a moment, most likely sensing that I was not being completely frank.

"I take it he is already your boyfriend?"

"Kind of… but we're not really doing anything."

Well, not anything _too_ hardcore.

"Young lady, is he your boyfriend or not? I though we had an agreement that expressions such as 'like', 'kind of' or 'whatever' would not cross my threshold."

"I'm sorry, Gran," I replied, chastened. "Yes, Eric is my boyfriend. It's just… I know this looks bad because he's older but, I promise you, I'm not being pressured into doing anything I don't want to, and I trust him completely. If anything, he's the one to hold back…" I stopped immediately, conscious of having said way too much.

Gran was silent for a while before stating:

"I want to meet him."

"Gran…"

"This is non-negotiable, young lady," she cut in. "You are a 17 year-old and, as such, you are still my full responsibility, whether or not you live under my roof. I want to, and _will_, meet anybody who presumes to share your company on a regular basis; _especially_ any romantic interest. In fact, I am very surprised that this Mr. Northman has not yet manifested himself."

"Gran, we've barely started dating!" I protested.

"Well, I certainly would have appreciated him calling on me to state his intentions towards you, especially since you are a minor."

"Gran, this is 1996! Nobody 'states their intentions' anymore."

"Manners never go out of style, young lady," she returned primly.

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. I did wonder what kind of manners the pillage-happy Vikings were inculcated with. Not that Eric wasn't able to be suave and perfectly charming… when he wasn't pulling off his enemies' limbs, that is.

"I'll tell him you want to meet him, Gran," I finally conceded.

I was already fretting over how to present such a request to Eric, though, in my heart, I knew it had only been a matter of time before the two most important people in my life had to meet. However, I wasn't sure I wanted to be around to witness that Clash of the Titans.

Gran VS Vampire.

This should be interesting.

* * *

**A/N**: So, Eric and Sookie finally got together! Do you think they went about it the right way?

I know some of you weren't too keen on them becoming a couple just yet. Did this chapter change your mind or do you still have objections? Do you think Gran is right to demand accountability? Do you anticipate issues arising for the new couple?

I welcome all opinions and critism, and would love to hear what you think.

I am putting the finishing touches to the next chapter **Pretty Little Lies**, which should be done by the end of today. It's a whooper, at over 11,000 words, and I considered cutting it in half, but you've all been so good with the reviews and the love for this story that I decided against it.

Since the next chapter is so long and my wonderful Beta **All About Eric** is extremely busy, I don't know when it will be ready to post; so if it's not up on Wednesday morning, please be patient.

Thank you for reading!


	13. Pretty Little Lies

**A/N**: **I apologize for the false alert yesterday!** **It won't happen again, so sorry!** A huge thank you to my exceptional Beta** All About Eric** for reviewing this long chapter in record time.

There is another anachronistic pop-culture reference in this chapter. Also, please be aware that, in Louisiana, the age of sexual consent is 17, so there is nothing illegal about Eric and Sookie's relationship. However, the age of majority is 18, so Sookie is still a minor.

* * *

_I want a little sugar  
in my bowl  
I want a little sweetness  
down in my soul  
I could stand some lovin'  
Oh so bad_

-_ I Want a Little Sugar in my Bowl_ by Nina Simone

_You can't kill me, I live forever through these bars  
I put the wolves on ya, I put a price on your head  
The whole hood'll want ya, you startin' to look like bread  
I send them boys at ya, I ain't talkin' 'bout Feds_

- _Threat_ by Jay-Z

**Chapter 13 – PRETTY LITTLE LIES**

**SPOV**

I drove back to Shreveport on Monday, after an eventful weekend. I'd hung out with some friends on Saturday afternoon before helping Gran marinate various meats in preparation for Jason and Tatiana's arrival the next morning. It had actually been very funny seeing Gran display almost as much nerves as Tatiana, but I'd kept my smart-ass comments to myself.

My brother and his girlfriend had pulled up in his truck shortly after Gran and I had come back from church and, after a few minutes of awkwardness, Gran and Tatiana had bonded over their mutual love of literature (Tatiana had dropped out of College, where she had been studying creative writing, because of lack of funds, but she still spent most of her free time at the local public library). Scarlett and Tara had come over to take part in the barbecue, but the festive mood had been spoiled when Gran had received an upsetting phone call, late in the afternoon. Eric and I had kept contact during the weekend but I had delayed discussing Gran's request with him until we met face to face. I also hadn't mentioned the family emergency and, as I was driving, I was still debating the judiciousness of broaching the issue with him. We'd barely started dating and, while I trusted him completely, I was wary of unloading my problems on him so early in the relationship.

When I arrived at the apartment shortly after noon, my eyes were immediately drawn to a square red box on the coffee table. I walked over to take a closer look and, as I had expected, it turned out to be a gift from Eric, complete with a handwritten note.

_Lover,_

_I have deeply missed you those past couple of days, and had to rely on the little souvenir you left behind to carry me through the long nights. _

_Tonight, if you have no objection, I would like to meet you after Dragon House has closed, at around 1 a.m., as there is a special place I wish to show you. Do dress for a __date__._

_In the box you will find a replacement for the garment I ruined last time we met… as well as for the ones I fully intend to ruin in the future._

_E_

I smiled to myself at my boyfriend's acknowledgement that we were, in fact, dating, then I opened the box to find it filled with a selection of _La Perla_ underwear. I leisurely browsed through the saucy sets of lace, satin and silk bra and panties (all in the correct sizing, of course), before hand-washing my new undergarments and hanging them to dry in the bathroom.

I spent the rest of the afternoon reading, then I took nap in order to be fresh for my late date with my boyfriend. I suspected he would offer me his blood again tonight, as we never went more than three weeks without 'topping-up' my intake, so I wasn't worried about being tired tomorrow.

After sharing dinner with Jason and Tatiana, I went to prepare myself for my _date, _taking care to slip on one of Eric's presents – a black silk set - under a flirty dark blue babydoll dress. I doubted Eric would have any opportunity to actually see the undergarments, but it made me feel sexy to know I was wearing something he had selected especially for me.

While I was waiting to be picked up, I sat down with Jas and Tatiana to watch _Legends of The Fall_. The movie was very enjoyable, in equal parts because of the gorgeous scenery and the epic storyline, and because the main character, played by a longhaired Brad Pitt, bore a striking resemblance to my very own Vampire (but Brad was not quite as chiseled or charismatic, if I may nit-pick). At around midnight, I received a text from Eric informing me that Soledad would be picking me up in half-an-hour. I scowled a bit at the prospect of seeing the dour Vampire again, but I did not protest.

Soledad buzzed me right on cue, at half past midnight, and I went down to meet her. I noticed at once the change in her demeanor: she was no longer openly hostile and icy, but instead she was courteous, if still a little stiff.

"Miss Stackhouse," she greeted me with a polite nod.

"Good evening, Soledad," I replied pleasantly, as I entered the limo.

We rode in silence for a few minutes, as I got used to her newly pliant attitude. Eric's chastisement had obviously made the desired impression, as she refrained from glaring at me, as was her habit, and lowered her eyes anytime we made eye contact. For some reason, I couldn't help feeling sorry for her: she'd obviously been harboring feelings of some sort towards Eric, and now she had to cater to her triumphant love-rival. I recalled how upset I'd felt having my nose rubbed in Eric's other women - and he hadn't even been serious with any of them – and I decided to extend an olive branch.

"Soledad?"

She had been looking out the window but turned to look at me.

"I just wanted to say that I hope we can get along."

She raised an eyebrow in surprise and I continued:

"We both care about Eric and, since I intend to be a permanent presence in his life, we will have to learn to be civil to each other, if only to avoid creating more problems than he already has to deal with. I want you to know that I am unwaveringly loyal to Eric, and I have no intention of doing anything to hurt him or his position."

Soledad stared at me for a few moments, processing my speech and composing her response. Finally, she spoke in a neutral voice:

"The Sheriff is a great man."

"Yes, he is," I agreed, "and I understand that what he does is very important, and that many people rely on him. Soledad, I know you're extremely protective of him but, trust me, I am just as protective, if not more so."

After a pause, she nodded, seemingly accepting my statement as genuine.

"Miss Stackhouse, I believe I do owe you an apology."

I looked at her in surprise: Vampires very rarely apologized, and almost never to humans.

"I disregarded the Sheriff's direct orders by allowing his humans to use the backstairs, when he had explicitly specified that they were for your use only," she explained. "I have already presented my apologies to the Sheriff, and now I must express my regrets to you too."

I gaped at her as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

"_You_ arranged for me to run into his women?"

Confusion fleetingly crossed her face before she schooled her features.

"I thought the Sheriff had explained the situation to you," she said hesitantly.

"Hum, we haven't had time to discuss that yet; but that definitely explains a lot."

I suppose I should have felt outraged, but what was the point of anger, really? I'd won, and I would be gracious about it.

"That was clever," I finally declared, looking straight into her eyes. "_Bitchy_, but clever."

She looked startled for a second, then I thought I discerned the tiny hint of a smile creeping at the corner of her mouth.

"I thought so too, at the time," she replied dryly, then she added: "You're the first human he has claimed since I have taken my position at his side."

"I know. And I know how significant that is. I intend to be a worthy mate for him."

Soledad nodded again, and gave me a genuine smile. It was gone in a second, but I swear I saw it. I was relieved that the air had been cleared between us: I doubted she and I would ever become anything close to friends, but I was glad we'd reached a sort of understanding. She bade me goodnight when we reached our destination, and I climbed up the backstairs.

As soon as I entered Eric's office, I dashed towards him. He shot out of his seat at Vampire speed and scooped me up. I laughed uproariously as I wrapped my legs round his waist and let him whirl us around, and just like that, the pent-up tension I'd been carrying since Sunday afternoon completely evaporated. Eric sat back behind his desk with me still straddling him, and claimed my lips in a searing kiss. When I broke the kiss to gasp for air, he ran his hand along my sides and thighs and asked in a teasing voice:

"Miss me, lover?"

"You have _no_ idea," I replied, taking in him in.

He was wearing a gorgeous aqua cashmere sweater that brought out his eyes, and dark jeans. After running my palm over his chest – so soft, so hard - I declared in a mock-serious tone:

"Eric, we need to have a serious discussion about your lack of hygiene."

"My lack of hygiene?" he repeated confusedly.

"Yes, Eric. Unless I misunderstood your note, you've been sniffing my old panties for the past two nights. Just ewww!"

His only response was an earthy laugh.

"Are you offering to donate a fresh pair, lover?" he quipped, wiggling his eyebrows.

I giggled then whispered in his ear:

"Only if you're a bad, bad boy."

He growled then planted another toe-curling kiss on me. When I leaned back, I noticed for the first time since I came into his office that a lacquered new model had taken the place of his old glass-topped desk. Glancing around the room, I also registered that he had replaced the dark leather sofa with a white leather one. I looked back at him with a raised eyebrow and he shrugged.

"I needed a change in scenery," he explained.

I was not fooled by his apparent nonchalance: Eric never did anything without a reason. Considering what I had just learned on my way here, I was convinced he had discarded the furniture because they were the last remnants of his 'bachelor' days: he had fucked many of his 'lady-friends' on both his desk and his sofa, and I was hugely appreciative that he had made the effort to redecorate for my sake.

"Eric, Soledad confessed to everything on the way over. She even apologized."

I knew he would understand what I was talking about, and I wanted to set his mind at ease over this topic.

"Soledad was only partly responsible for the debacle," he stated. "I should have been more discreet with my meals."

"Why? I mean, I know you have to eat; and it's not like you were intentionally rubbing my face in them. You didn't have to constrain yourself just for my sake," I replied in a conciliatory tone.

"Actually, I did. Things changed between us after we first kissed two months ago, and I should have been more mindful of your feelings. Bringing my meals where you could run into them, even accidentally, was careless. I have thought about it and, had the situation been reversed, I would not have liked the idea of you having lovers coming and going from your apartment, even if I hadn't been forced to ride the elevator with them."

I just nodded and made no comment, but I was secretly delighted with his apology – and the fact that he kept referring to his former lovers as 'meals'.

"Have you thought about how you're going to procure blood donors from now on? Are you going back to hunting random strangers?" I inquired as innocently as possible.

Clearly, based on the terms of our arrangement, he couldn't use his regular stable of Victoria's Secret models anymore, even just for feeding, and I was curious as to how he now intended to source his meals. To be perfectly honest, I still wasn't happy with the idea of him feeding from other people, but I knew I couldn't sensibly be his sole source of blood. I just hoped he would have the delicacy to feed exclusively from ugly men. Eric gave me a knowing smirk before jerking his head to the side.

"I have all my meals right there, for when you are not available."

I turned to the direction he had indicated to spot a silver box in a corner of the room. It took me a second to realize this was a mini-fridge, and a second more to comprehend what it meant. _Blood-bags_!

The message was clear: not only was Eric giving up other women, he was also giving up other humans altogether. I could feel my eyes getting misty and I chose to kiss him to buy a few seconds to get hold of myself.

"Thank you, Eric," I whispered, my lips still hovering over his.

"It is no great sacrifice, lover. After tasting your blood, any other will pale in comparison. I might as well not have to deal with the extra hassle of having to glamour my meals."

I was extremely moved by Eric's show of commitment, and I thought it might be an opportune moment to tell him about my family news. He must have sensed my slight hesitation through the bond, because he asked:

"What are you not telling me, lover? Something is bothering you."

I nibbled at my lip before taking the plunge:

"Well, Gran got a phone call on Sunday, from a rehab facility in Monroe where, until two days ago, my cousin Hadley was an in-patient. She escaped during Saturday night ."

I paused to give him the opportunity to comment, but he just silently gestured for me to carry on.

"Hadley has been in bad way for years - alcohol and drugs - and even her own mother couldn't get through to her. Shipping her off to a private rehab facility was a bit of a last ditch effort. I'm really upset by her vanishing act because I'm worried about her, of course, but also because, until yesterday, I believed her mother, Linda, was the one paying for the rehab. I have learnt that it was in fact Gran who has been forking out. She has used a great chunk of her savings to pay for Hadley's program, even though she can barely afford her own mortgage, and I can't believe Hadley would be so selfish as to betray her kindness and generosity like that," I explained tearfully.

"Addicts are usually very self-centered and ungrateful, Sookie. It isn't possible to help someone who doesn't wish to be helped," he replied, stroking my cheek. "What can I do to help?" he added. "Does your grandmother need money?"

"God, no! Eric, you've been more than generous to me. I can take care of my Gran; and I've already done so, as a matter of fact. I'm only mentioning the money because, had it not been for me recently becoming serendipitously flush, my Gran would have put herself through financial pain for nothing."

"I understand, and I'm pleased you're confiding in me. Is there any way I can make this situation better for you?"

"Well, I don't want to bother you too much, but I was wondering if you could introduce me to a good private detective, or something like that. I'm angry with Hadley but I hate to see Gran upset, so I want to try and find my cousin. I don't know how much that kind of service would cost, but I still have some money from my retainer…"

"I can do better than that, lover," he cut in. "I shall put Amy on Hadley's trail. She'll only need to get into your cousin's room at the facility to pick up her scent and, after that, she'll have no trouble tracking her, wherever she went."

"Oh, Eric! That would be wonderful!" I exclaimed. "I'll remunerate Amy for her work, of course."

Eric firmly shook his head.

"No, lover. Amy is under an exclusive contract: she only ever works for me, on whatever assignment I choose to give her. I will not allow you to compensate my employee."

I opened my mouth to argue, but his stern look made me swiftly reconsider. There was no point engaging in futile battles with my Vampire.

"Thank you, Eric," I said instead and he rewarded me with a smile. "Also, speaking of Gran… she wants to meet you."

I observed his face to see how he would react to this revelation but, to my surprise, he seemed utterly unfazed.

"Yes, I had anticipated such a request. Please tell your grandmother that I will be delighted to meet her and that I will contact her soon to make arrangements."

Eric seemed to be amused by the bemused expression on my face.

"Why are you so surprised by my reaction, lover? Did you really think it wouldn't occur to me that you are technically still a minor? I would expect your grandmother to be worried about me becoming your boyfriend."

He leaned over to nip at my neck while foundling my thigh before adding in a teasing tone:

"And frankly, she should be."

I playfully swatted his hand and retorted:

"Why? It's not like you're a date rapist or…"

"Or a Vampire?" he cut in with a smirk, and I giggled.

"My point is that you're a gentleman. You might have a dirty mind, but you know how to keep yourself under control, even when I don't want you to," I said mischievously. "Gran will be asking you about your 'intentions' towards me; though to be fair, she should rather ask _me_ what are my intentions towards _you_."

"I hope they are utterly dishonorable," he quipped.

"Oh yes, they most definitely are," I purred, placing a lingering kiss on his lips. "In all seriousness, though, I don't think Gran realizes how tame I've been," I went on. "On graduation day, I was one of only three virgins in my class. Most of my classmates have been sexually active since they were 16 or even 15."

Tara had actually been 14 when she had first had sex, and from what she had shared of the experience, her first time had been almost as disastrous as my own tragic attempt with JB, which I still felt deeply guilty about. I blushed at the recollection and Eric must have sensed my discomfort as he remarked in a light tone:

"I was very surprised myself when I came back to find you still untouched. I would have thought some silver-tongued lucky bastard would have talked you into his bed, by now."

"Well, I'm picky," I replied with a shrug.

No need to inflate his ego even more by telling him that other men paled in comparison.

"Then I'll make sure to put the emphasis on your discriminating taste in men, when I meet your grandmother," he jokingly declared.

"You do that," I replied. "I'll trust you to deal well with the situation, but I'm warning you: Gran has a first rate bullshit-detector, so I'll ask you to be as honest as realistically possible. If she believes you aren't straight with her, she'll make it very difficult for us to be together."

He nodded, and a thought occurred to me:

"Speaking of human-Vampire relationships, has Pam mentioned Scarlett at all?"

"No, why would she?" he asked, frowning.

"Well, I don't know," I shrugged. "Scarlett tells me they haven't been in contact at all and I find it a bit odd. I don't know what the standard protocol is for dealing with a one-night-stand but it seems pretty rude to me to not even send flowers or maybe an e-mail."

Eric laughed at my suggestion.

"I can assure you that flowers aren't part of the package, lover. But more importantly, what makes you think my child and your friend had sex?"

I gave him an incredulous look.

"You're kidding right? The fact that she spent all night with her, for once."

"From what Pam told me, they did no more than kiss and watch episodes from a reality-show about fashion models. Did your friend tell you otherwise?"

I thought for a minute before realizing that Scarlett never hinted at more than maybe heavy petting. I'd made assumptions based on a brow wiggle, and I felt foolish now.

"I guess I should have known. Scarlett has always been more of a relationship type of girl. I just thought, with Pam being a Vampire, it was unlikely to stay PG-rated."

Eric gave me an odd look, and it occurred to me my words might have been a tad crass.

"Sookie," he said gravely, "just because we have strong instincts doesn't mean we can't control them."

"I know, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make it sound as if Vampires aren't trustworthy," I scrambled to reply.

He thankfully let the subject lie and gestured for me to stand up.

"If there is nothing else, I'd like for us to get going."

"Where are we going?"

"On a journey to the past," he replied cryptically.

Eric fended off my questions all the way to our mystery destination and, eventually, we stopped in front of a three-story building I didn't recognize. Eric opened the door of his Corvette for me and, as I exited the car, I read the plaque above the front door of the building.

"Center for Scandinavian Studies?" I read aloud.

"Yes," he answered proudly, while escorting me through the glass doors.

The security guard in the lobby nodded to him as we made our way to the elevators. Once we were inside, he explained:

"It is a private museum and research center I founded a few years back. It's mostly used by researchers and students majoring in History or Scandinavian languages. The ground floor holds a conference center and there is an extensive library on the second floor. Our destination for tonight, however, is the third floor."

The elevator's door opened and I gasped as I stepped outside. In front of me, part of a Norse village had been reconstructed (I'd learned from the books Eric had given me that 'Viking' wasn't a proper way to refer to the Norsemen, as they called themselves). I advanced on the artificial grass and surveyed my surroundings in awe. I identified various dwellings, such as a blacksmith's workshop, slave quarters and a banquet hall, as well as a large fire pit for the communal meals; there were even animal skins 'drying' in the open air, as if in the process of being tanned. The central piece, however, was a thatched longhouse. I looked at Eric in excitement.

"Can we go in?"

He nodded with a smile and I went through the shingled doors. The inside was much like the descriptions I'd read in the books: the place was really a glorified dormitory, with fur-covered rectangular boxes that served as beds lining the walls, and a rectangular fire pit running down the middle of the room. At the far end there was a barn, where stuffed cows, sheep, pigs, and even a horse, had been set up. I had been shocked to learn that the Norsemen slept with their animals, their slaves and several other families, but it made sense that, since they didn't have central heating, they would want to have as many sources of heat under one roof as they could manage.

I turned toward Eric, who had followed me inside, and asked him the question that had been in the back of my mind ever since I'd learned of the Norsemen's domestic arrangements.

"Eric? I've been wondering… how did you have sex, back then?"

He chuckled before answered with a wicked grin:

"In the usual manner, lover. There haven't been any drastic innovations in the art of lovemaking for the past millennium. The Romans and the Indians had all the refinements pretty much figured out before I was even born."

I stuck out my tongue at him.

"Oh, I bet you're gutted that you've missed out on all those wild Roman orgies, but I'm guessing you own first editions of the Kama-Sutra, don't you? That's not what I meant, though. I wanted to know how you managed to have a sex life with all those people around. Did you go into the woods?"

Eric leaned against a wall and grinned.

"Orgies didn't stop just because the Roman Empire fell, lover, so I had many opportunities to play catch up. Constantinople and Renaissance Venice, for example, were huge fun. The French Court also knew how to party, and I still have very found memories of the delicious little Queen Margot. And of course, post sexual-revolution America has been a blast so far." He gave me a lascivious wink. "As far as the Kama-Sutra is concerned, I have always found that particular publication to be grossly over-rated. The majority of the positions advertised are grotesque and not at all conducive to pleasure. The most interesting part of the guide is the first section, which contains sophisticated grooming recommendations and advice on how to seduce a lover."

"And I'll bet you could have written that part, right?" I quipped.

"Probably", he chuckled.

I rolled my eyes at his cockiness, though I must admit I was quite turned on by the mention of his sexual prowess.

"To answer your question," he continued, "there wasn't any concept of privacy or intimacy, when I was human. Having sex in front of witnesses was the most natural thing in the world, as there were no practical alternatives for most of the year, due to the long, harsh winters. You have seen how we lived: it wouldn't have made sense to do things any other way."

I gaped at him.

"Even in front of children?"

"What better way to learn?" he replied with a cocky smile.

I shook my head in incredulity but couldn't help returning his smile. I moved deeper into the house to examine the stuffed animals when something caught my eyes through the barn door.

"Oh my God! Is that a dragon boat?" I squealed.

"Indeed, lover. Do you want to have a look?"

I nodded enthusiastically and Eric guided me towards the ship, which had been propped upright behind the longhouse. It was surprisingly modest in size and rather narrow, but I knew not to underestimate the effectiveness of such a design: after all, the Norsemen had gone 'a-Viking' all over Europe in these boats, and had even made it to America long before Columbus was born. Eric helped me onboard and smiled while I pretended to maneuver one of the heavy oars. After I was done fooling around, I gestured for him to join me and he sat on the floor on a thick fur that that was sprawled over the wooden planks.

"Are you sure you haven't done this dating thing before?" I asked. "Because you're really good at it. I don't think I've ever had a better date."

"Beginner's luck," he shrugged.

I giggled and went to join him on the fur. I wasn't particularly fond of fur in general, but I figured the animal was already dead and I couldn't do anything about it, so there was no point in feeling guilty about enjoying its hide. The pelt was extremely soft and comfortable, and I found myself reclining on my back to enjoy the sensation. Eric lay on his side next to me and, when our eyes met, there was an unmistakable glint of lust in his gaze.

I grabbed his shirt to pull him to me, and he let me manhandle him. When our lips connected, he began running his hands up my thighs while I laced my fingers through his hair. He shifted his position to place himself over me but was careful not to burden me with his weight by propping himself on one of his forearms.

"Are you enjoying this date too, baby?" I asked teasingly, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Baby? Really, lover? I let that slide yesterday but you really need to find another term of endearment for me."

I chuckled.

"Well, 'lover' is already taken," I retorted sarcastically, "so I have to make do with the leftovers. How about sweetie? Honey Bunny? Cutie?"

Eric answered my taunts with a growl.

"What is wrong with Eric?" he asked.

"Everybody gets to call you Eric," I pouted.

"Actually, no; very few do. And no one says it quite like you do."

I gave him a delighted smile.

"Eric it is, then."

We made out on the fur for a few more minutes before Eric leaned back a bit.

"Sookie? I do have a request," he declared pensively.

"What is it?"

"When you are ready, I would like to test out my theory regarding the permanent Bond. I think we should try and have a simultaneous blood exchange, just to see what happens. It's not urgent, but I would like you to consider doing that in the near future."

I was ecstatic. I'd hoped Eric would bring up the subject of the Bond eventually, but I never anticipated it would come up so soon.

"Why not tonight?" I inquired.

"Tonight?" he exclaimed. "Don't you want to think about it for a while longer?"

"Why? I was prepared to take that step three days ago. What makes you think I've changed my mind since then?"

Eric grinned at me and stroked my hair.

"I'm pleased to hear that, lover. Do you want us to go back to your home?"

I shook my head.

"Jason and Tatiana might be there."

I looked around before suggesting:

"Right here is kind of perfect, don't you think?"

"Indeed, lover," he smiled. "Are you comfortable enough?"

"Yes, this fur is really soft and thick," I answered.

Eric seemed lost in his thoughts for a few seconds before speaking up:

"I think the better option is for us to remain lying down, as there isn't a huge amount of space aboard this ship. When I bite your shoulder, I want you to bite my neck, if that's alright with you?"

"Hum," I replied squeamishly, "do you mean I should break your skin with my teeth?"

I couldn't help the slight grimace of distaste from showing on my face, and Eric noticed it.

"Wait here," he said, and was gone in a flash.

He re-appeared seconds later holding a small blade and, after repositioned himself over me and draping one of his arms around my neck for comfort and intimacy, he asked me if I was ready. As I nodded my assent, he gave me another kiss and whispered words of gratitude in my ears. I cringed when he slit his neck but forgot my unease as soon as he lowered himself and began kissing and licking my shoulder. I lapped at the oozing blood before latching onto the wound. As always, I was delighted by the sweetness of his taste.

I felt him harden against me as I drew his delicious blood, and I spread my legs wider to give him more access. He grabbed one of my thighs with his free hand and hitched my leg over his hip, then began grinding against me. I held him closer to me as I swung my hips to meet his thrusts. I gasped, first in pain, then in pleasure, as he bit my shoulder and increased the speed of his back and forth motion. The frictions his cock was causing against my clit were driving me wild, even through our clothes, and I was sure I wouldn't last very long if he carried on dry humping me like that. I only let go of his neck as I reached my climax, to gasp rapturously. Eric ground a few more times against me before letting out a low moan.

We lay barely moving for a while, my leg still wrapped over his hip, and my hands clinging to his hair and back while he was slowing stroking my bare thigh.

"Shit," he whispered after a moment.

OK. Not the reaction I was expecting.

"Is there a problem, Eric?" I inquired.

"I seem to have had an unfortunate accident, south of the border," he replied.

It took me a second to get his meaning then I burst out laughing and began intoning the hilarious song I'd heard in the episode of SNL I'd watched the previous week-end:

"And I jizz in my pants…"

Eric leaned back and gave me an outraged look, which only made me laugh harder.

"I only lost control because the bond grew more intense all of a sudden, and I wasn't prepared to deal with your pleasure as well as mine," he defended.

His words replaced my amusement with thrill.

"So, does that mean it worked?"

"Yes, lover," he smiled. "I can feel you much better already."

I made no attempt to conceal my elation, as he could feel it anyway. I'd been worried that we wouldn't be able to form a permanent Bond, and the news that this was most definitely a possibility for us filled me with joy.

"Eric, I…" I began.

I wanted to tell him that I loved him; but I chickened out. This moment was absolutely perfect and I don't think that I could stand not hearing it back.

"I love being with you," I said instead.

"So do I, lover; so do I," he responded, stroking my hair. His chest suddenly shook with laughter.

"What's so funny?"

"I _really_ need to get home and change, lover."

I laughed out loud and began disentangling myself from him.

"OK, sticky pants, let's go!" I teased as we were straightening up.

"You are _not_ to call me that ever again," he growled.

"I apologize, Mr. Early Pearly," I replied with a straight face.

Eric scowled before grabbing me from behind and spoke lowly in my ear:

"If you carry on with that line of thought, I will have to show you exactly just how _enduring_ I am. My partners have been known to pass out from exhaustion."

I swiveled my head to give him a saucy smile and teased:

"Is that a promise?"

We made our way back to his Corvette and I did my best to not giggle at his obvious discomfort. We rode in silence for a while before he took hold of my hand over the gear console.

"Lover, I meant what I said earlier about instinct and control. Just because you are now mine doesn't mean I expect every one of our dates or encounters to end on a sexual note. I'm more than happy to just spend time talking with you."

"What if I'm not?" I teased. "Have you no mercy for my poor overworked hormones, Vampire?" I pouted.

"I'm confident your 'poor hormones' are under control," he replied with a smirk. "From what you've told me, you have been celibate for a year."

"Yeah, well, you weren't around then," I mumbled.

He shot me an amused glance.

"That bad, lover?" he teased.

"Yes, that bad. At the risk of sounding obsessed, I don't have any trouble suppressing my urges unless you're around. You do crazy things to my libido."

He lifted our joined hands to kiss my fingers before declaring:

"If that's any consolation, you do the same to me."

I freed my hand to lightly pat the wet patch on the front of his jeans.

"So I see," I quipped.

Eric dropped me off to my apartment and we parted with a very thorough kiss goodnight.

The next morning, I woke up feeling fresh and rested, even though I'd only slept for four hours, and got ready for work. Since Amy was preoccupied with finding Hadley, Eric had emailed me the name and picture of the Were guard who would be my bodyguard for the day: he was a mountain of a man named Tray. As soon as I approached him, I noticed the way his nostrils flared while he took in my scent. His eyes widened slightly and his stance immediately turned more deferential. I knew that smelling of Eric would grant me a certain status among Supes, but it was still odd to receive special treatment just because of the way that I smelt.

The day was uneventful – the bank I was scheduled to scope out turned out to be free of crooks, surprisingly – until late in the afternoon when Claudine unexpectedly appeared in the passenger seat of my car, as I was making my way to the gym. After recovering from my fright, I asked her the reason for her visit (Claudine usually only appeared when I was in some sort of danger, or when she had important news).

"Sookie, what have you done?" she asked straight of the bat.

"What?" I replied confusedly. "What are you talking…" I stopped mid-sentence and blushed. "How? How do you know that already?"

I suspected Claudine was referring to my blood exchange with Eric, and since Fairies didn't have an enhanced sense of smell, the only way she could be aware of what had occurred was if she'd somehow been spying on us last night.

"How do I know what? Sookie, what have you done?" she pressed.

I stopped the car at the side of the road and turned to stare at my beautiful cousin.

"Wait, you're the one who popped in to confront me about something I'm supposed to have done. Why don't you explain yourself, to start with, and then we can go on from there," I demanded.

"You feel different today, Sookie. Your Fae essence seems somehow more… alive, intense. I noticed it as soon as I woke up, which is why I came. What have you done to awaken your essence?"

I gaped at her.

"Oh my God," I gasped.

It never occurred to me that beginning the Bond could influence my Fae essence, but Eric had warned me that our blood Magics behaved atypically when combined together.

"I… well, I exchanged blood with Eric last night," I informed her.

"Are we talking about a blood bond? I thought you two have had one of those for years?" she asked, frowning.

"Yes, but what we've started is different, it's a permanent Bond," I clarified.

Her eyes widened as understanding dawned on her.

"That must be it," she said, then seemed lost in her thoughts.

"Claudine?" I called, and she snapped her eyes to me. "What does it mean, exactly? What will a stronger Fae essence do to me?"

"It's difficult to tell. You could develop some Fae powers ahead of schedule… though I doubt it, because your essence still feels fairly weak. But you have to be careful, because if your essence gets too strong, it will make it possible for other Fairies, even those who are unrelated to you, to recognize you as one of us."

She gave me a pointed look, and her meaning was plain: if my Fae essence grew too strong, Breandan and his followers could learn of my existence.

Claudine had sat me down soon after my 12th birthday and had told me all about the Fairy war that was dividing Faerun. The information she'd provided had allowed me to fill in some blanks regarding the deeper reasons behind my abduction, and also to become more conscious of the danger I was in because of my affiliation to Niall. I'd been furious to learn that some of Breandan's followers had been responsible for my parents' death, and even more disgusted when I recalled how Niall had tried to pin their murder on Eric. My great-grandfather was truly a twisted individual. Claudine had assured me that I was safe from him as he'd sworn to let me live out my life free of disruption and, apparently, oral promises were sort of binding for Fairies. I still wasn't totally convinced: Niall obviously had no issues with lying, so I had great trouble taking seriously any promises he might have made. Still, he wasn't my biggest problem right now.

"When you say I might develop Fae powers ahead of schedule, you mean before I turn 28, right?"

Fairies reached their maturity in their 28th year, at which point they developed basic Fae powers – mostly, the ability to perform Fae Magic – as well as a more individual skill (for some, it was the gift of clairsentience, for other, the ability to converse with animals, etc.).

"It's a possibility," she nodded, "but we're charting unknown territory here, because your situation is so unique. For obvious reasons, Fairies do not usually bond with Vampires." She paused, then added: "I want to coach you on teleportation."

"By why?" I inquired with widened eyes. "Wouldn't that make my essence even stronger? I don't want to become a Fairy magnet."

"No, teleportation itself would have no influence on your essence; it works the other way around. I'm suggesting that we to try and determine whether or not you already possess that particular ability because this is usually the first Fae skill that manifests itself, even before we mature. Fae children as young as 10 can teleport, and it's very unlikely that you would develop any kind of Fae powers unless you can teleport first, so that would be a good gauge."

I thought about her words for a minute.

"It makes sense," I admitted, "but I want to discuss all of this with Eric first. It concerns him too, after all."

"I understand, Sookie. You know how to summon me when you've reached a decision."

I acquiesced and started the engine again. Claudine lingered for a few more minutes and, before popping away, she remarked with a smirk:

"So, a permanent Bond, hum? Things are moving along quite nicely with the Viking, I see. From all that I've heard, you're a very lucky girl, Sookie."

"I know that, cousin," I replied with a wink, "trust me."

That very night, I discussed with Eric the new information Claudine had brought me and, after thorough consideration, we agreed that her suggestion was a good one. I needed to know how far on in my Fae development I was and, if I had the potential to teleport, I would be stupid to pass up the opportunity to master such a useful skill. Eric promised he would have our old dojo - the one next to Bon Temps - updated and spelled so that Claudine and I could safely practice in it. I knew that he was still wary of Claudine – as he was of anyone closely linked to Niall – but he respected my judgment, and I did trust my cousin unconditionally: she had been my champion during my incarceration in Faerun, even risking Niall's wrath by pleading for my release.

The rest of the week passed very pleasantly. I was busy with my assignments, my workout regimen, and my college preparations, but there was also plenty of time for romance. I was constantly amazed at how sweet Eric was being. I would find little presents or notes every day in my apartment and, whenever we met, he was attentive and huge fun. Gone was the extreme caution: the new Eric was a shameless flirt and tease, and would jump at any excuse to get his hands under my clothes and leave me hot, wet and bothered. My own attempts to tease him back weren't as successful because, while I could easily arouse him, he hadn't lost control again ever since his 'accident' at the Scandinavian Center. He always made sure to pleasure me with his fingers anytime he fed from me, but always turned down my offers to reciprocate. I was a bit miffed, but I had to admit that his attitude was probably wise: he'd already warned me about over-stimulating him and it wouldn't be a good idea to start something I wasn't sure I was ready to finish. We had only been dating a week and it was better to take things relatively slow.

On Friday, we met at my gym for a Takana session. I knew I wouldn't be seeing him for the following week because he was part of a delegation that Sophie-Anne was taking with her to visit the King of Arkansas, so I made our evening count. After he fed from me, I made sure to slip the pair of panties I was wearing – another one of his _La Perla_ present – into his pants pocket. Not that I was in anyway worried about letting him out of my sight – Eric was nothing if not an honorable man, and would not go back on a promise – but it didn't hurt to leave him with a reminder of exactly what was waiting for him at home.

When I got home to Bon Temps the following day, I found out that Eric had already half-charmed Gran with his hand-delivered notes and phone calls, and she was raving about his excellent manners. They had agreed to meet on Friday evening next week, and I was glad I wouldn't be around until the next day. Yes, I am a coward. Sue me!

Over the weekend, Claudine and I practiced teleportation in the dojo Eric had outfitted for us. As it turned out, I was utterly useless at it. Claudine kept instructing me to center myself until I found the Fae essence inside me and released its power (her teachings were actually very similar to the meditation techniques Eric had taught me as a child), but I consistently failed to produce any results. After meditating almost non-stop most of Saturday and Sunday afternoons, I finally managed to 'pop' over a few inches in distance. It was barely a flicker, really, and could barely be called teleportation at all, yet it left me feeling exhausted. I was a bit disappointed over my failure but Claudine was satisfied that my Fae essence, while stronger than before, was still very immature, and that I wasn't in any danger of attracting undue attention from hostile Fairies.

**EPOV**

The royal visit in Arkansas had proved to be an absolute bore, as I had fully expected it to be. The King, Peter Threadgill, was a vainglorious, petulant child who made Andre look positively mature and wise. How he had ever managed to attain such an elevated position was a complete mystery to me; but then, Arkansas was hardly a prestigious kingdom. The invitation he had extended to my Queen was the first step of his official courtship of her. I prayed to the gods that his offer would be rejected, as I dreaded the prospect of swearing fealty to such a mediocre Vampire. Sophie-Anne could be a pain, and she had poor taste in children, but she was a competent monarch, and I respected her resolve and cunning. Her biggest failing, greed, would play in my favour in this case, as I was certain she would not ally herself to such a pauper State as Arkansas. Still, I had had to play nice all week, for the sake of diplomacy.

I had missed Sookie deeply, especially since I had not been comfortable contacting her within earshot of my Queen, and had stuck to brief text messages. One of the most unpleasant aspects of the visit had been to be forced to feed from the glamoured-to-the-hilt humans that populated Threadgill's palace. Their bland taste had been offensive to my palate after sampling Sookie's refined ambrosia.

I had discussed this scenario with Sookie before leaving, and she had been understanding of the fact that I would need to publicly feed from donors or risk raising suspicions and appearing weak in front of my peers. As long as I remained faithful, she had said, she would have no issue with the slight digression. Once again, I congratulated myself on giving her enough knowledge of the Vampire world so that she would understand the subtleties of Vampire politics.

My relationship with Sookie had been going well so far, and I was pleased with my decision to shed the last of my doubts and claim her. Following our phone conversation, Pam had been sending me nightly emails filled with advice, which I had unquestioningly followed. As suggested, I had been showering Sookie with little presents and attentions, and I was already planning our next date, based on some recommendation Pam had sent me (apparently, dates did not stop after a couple became 'official'). I had been pleasantly surprised by my child's distinct lack of taunting, but she knew when to push me, and when to scale down her sarcasm. She had perceived that Sookie was important to me, and I was grateful for her tact.

One of the recurring issues Pam had brought up in her emails was the topic of sex. According to her, I was not allowed to make certain demands until after a fixed number of dates had occurred. She had listed a complete set of similar rules, which I personally thought were complete bullshit. Sookie herself did not seem to abide by these rules at all, as she had been openly offering me blowjobs since the day after our first date. My delightful little Fairy seemed to be more concerned about reciprocation than about keeping a calendar to schedule our sex life. Still, I preferred being too circumspect to being too bold and risk screwing things up, so I was purposely reining myself in… for now.

During my stay in Arkansas, I had also been keeping tabs on Sookie's cousin Hadley, who was currently recovering from her injuries in a private clinic in New-Orleans. It had taken Amy only two days to find the girl, but she had been in such an appalling condition that I had concealed that information from Sookie. The Were-bitch had tracked her down to a dirty alley in the red-light district of the French Quarter, where she had been lying next to bags of trash, beaten to a pulp. After enquiry, Amy had discovered that Hadley had been prostituting herself to finance her heroin addiction for more than a year, and after escaping rehab, she had simply gone back to her old habits. The beating was courtesy of her pimp, who apparently hadn't approved of her taking a 'vacation'. I knew that Sookie would want to see her cousin, but there was no way I would allow her to witness Hadley's current condition, so I had postponed telling her for now. Once the worst of the swelling had gone down, I would arrange for Sookie to visit the clinic.

Tonight, I was scheduled to meet with Adele for the first time since her cardio-vascular incident. My correspondence with the older woman had been very informative: she was an old-fashioned lady, and very attached to good manners, so I would be on my best behaviour. I had hoped to come back on Thursday night to steal a few hours with Sookie, but had had to attend Threadgill's pretentious farewell ball, which he could probably not really afford. Sookie had already warned me that she would not accompany me to Bon Temps, officially to give her grandmother and me some space but, unofficially, I knew she was just too nervous about the meeting.

After checking my appearance one last time in the mirror - a perfectly fitted grey lounge suit with a pale blue shirt (no tie, I didn't want to look like Sookie's dad), all from my favourite Savile Row tailor - I took off towards Bon Temps in my Corvette. When I arrived one hour later, after breaking all the State's speed limits, I parked my car in front of the farmhouse and climbed the steps of the porch I knew all too well, then I knocked on the door and run a hand through my hair to smooth it while I waited.

When Adele opened the door, she craned her neck up, up and up again until we made eye contact. She looked much as I remembered: a tiny but handsome older woman, with thick grey hair and kind eyes. She was careful groomed, wearing tasteful and age-appropriate make-up and her Sunday best. I caught myself wondering whether Sookie would ever get to look like that, or whether she would allow me to turn her in the bloom of youth, but I swiftly put the thought aside. Adele gave me an eagle-eyed once-over before greeting me with a smile.

"Good evening, Mr Northman; so good of you to call on me tonight. Please won't you come inside?"

"It is my pleasure, Mrs Stackhouse," I replied as I stepped inside Sookie's home for the first time.

I lifted Adele's extended hand to place the ghost of a kiss on her knuckles. She flinched slightly when our fingers connected, probably startled by my coldness, and eyed me oddly for a fleeting moment but was swiftly back to her affable hostess persona. She ushered me into the cosy-looking living room and invited me to sit down on one of the couches (new, expensive-looking suede, most likely one of Sookie's recent purchases).

"Might I offer you some refreshment Mr Northman? Tea? A glass of water?" she inquired once she had settled on the couch opposite mine.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs Stackhouse, but I am comfortable at the moment."

"Have you eaten already? I have prepared some fried chicken with all the fixings, and I would be delighted to serve you a plate," she offered.

"That's most kind of you, but I have already dined," I replied.

We made polite conversation while Adele sipped some tea. She quizzed me about my businesses and life in Shreveport and I enquired about Bon Temps and congratulated her on her fragrant garden. After 15 minutes of small talk, our chat reached a lull and I could sense my host steeling herself for a more serious turn of the conversation.

"Sookie tells me you have known each other for a couple of months; is that right, Mr Northman?"

"Indeed, Mrs Stackhouse."

"And your relationship with my granddaughter recently became romantic in nature?"

"That is correct. I care very much for Sookie: she is a wonderful woman who would make any man incredibly happy. I just happen to be that lucky man."

"You also happen to be her employer," she observed dryly.

"Yes, I do realize our situation is rather unorthodox, but I assure you I am very protective of Sookie. She has gained her position strictly through merit, and we are careful to keep our professional and private lives separate, for the most part. I would also like to point out that I am not drastically older than Sookie, all things considered. I just happen to have established my business empire at a relatively young age."

Technically, I was not really lying: I had been in my early 20s when I had been turned so, in terms of human age, I was only a few years older than Sookie.

"If you would allow me to be blunt, Mr Northman, what are your intentions towards my granddaughter?"

"To make her as happy as she makes me," I calmly replied.

"Good answer," she observed dryly and gave me smile, which I returned.

Eying me carefully, Adele brought her teacup to her lips and took a delicate sip before asking sweetly:

"You are aware of the fact that, according to the state laws of Louisiana, Sookie is not yet an adult, are you not, Mr Northman?"

Ah! So we were going to have _the talk,_ after all.

"I am." I simply answered.

Adele took another sip of tea, her eyes never leaving mine. I knew dozens of centuries-old _vampires_ who wouldn't dare meet my gaze the way that frail human woman was doing right now.

"You understand, of course, that I expect you to be a perfect gentleman towards Sookie while she remains a minor, if you hope to be a steady presence in my granddaughter's life."

I paused for a moment, thinking about how to form my response. Sookie had insisted that, unless I had no choice, I should not outright lie to her grandmother. There were, however, ways to present the truth advantageously.

"I can assure you that Sookie's maidenhood remains intact," I declared.

"And it will stay that way until she is a legal adult, won't it, Mr Northman?"

I internally cursed. I would not break the promise made to Sookie, but almost a year without sex was going to be torture. I had gone for lengthy periods of time without intercourse in the past, of course, but I had most definitely not enjoyed it. Maybe Sookie would extend other invitations to 'please me back' in the future. I had to prepare for this eventuality so I became extremely careful with my words.

"It will, Mrs Stackhouse."

Better stick to short answers: less chance of being caught up in a lie that way.

Adele's body's language relaxed slightly, but she was obviously not finished with me.

"And what about blood? Do you intend to feed from my grand-daughter?"

I was stunned speechless by the bombshell Adele had just dropped. Once I recovered from my shock, I could only utter:

"You _know_?"

Adele chuckled primly.

"Come now, Mr Northman. Do you think it likely that I would be completely ignorant of the Supernatural world?"

She let the question hang in the air, and the implication was clear: Fintan had had a serious talk with Adele (I should have suspected as much), and she knew that I knew about Sookie's Fairy heritage.

"Even disregarding the coldness of your handshake and the paleness of your skin, your refusal to accept any form of refreshment or sustenance left me with no doubt as to your true nature," she explained. "No mortal can resist my home-made fried chicken," she added with a wink.

I was thoughtful for a moment, still shaken by the revelation, and she took advantage of my silence.

"Mr Northman, I would appreciate it if you did not share that information with Sookie. She has kept this secret from me, and I wish her to be the one to come clean, so to speak, when she feels ready. After all, I have kept secrets of my own, in the past, and she should be allowed to keep hers for as long as she sees fit."

I nodded my assent, but was perplexed by Adele's relaxed attitude. There was a Vampire in her living room; a Vampire who just happened to be dating her granddaughter, and she was calmly sipping tea.

"Mrs Stackhouse, am I to understand that you are… accepting of my being around Sookie?" I asked suspiciously.

There had to be a catch.

"Well, I can't say I was completely ecstatic when I first realised what was going on, but I can see that Sookie is happy and that she absolutely trusts you, and I respect her judgement. I have to believe that if you had any nefarious intentions towards my granddaughter, she would have met harm already. Besides, Sookie isn't really a regular young lady, and relationships with normal men might prove challenging for her. She needs to be understood and protected in a way an ordinary suitor might not be able to do. So, yes, Mr Northman, I am prepared to be agreeable. However, there is still the issue of the particulars of your Vampiric nature; which brings us back to my previous question."

She raised an expectant eyebrow and waited for my answer.

"Mrs Stackhouse, I am already taking blood from Sookie, and have been since about two weeks ago."

Adele's other eyebrow shot up and I jumped in to reassure her: I could under no circumstances screw this up.

"I can assure you that Sookie isn't and has never been in any danger, not from me at least. I am very old and require very little blood in order to survive. In fact, I was not planning on feeding from Sookie at all at first, but she has been very... accommodating".

I silently thanked the gods that vampires all develop a bullet-proof poker face within the first decade of their existence, because 'accommodating' was the understatement of the century. Try 'Sookie all but jumped me' for a more realistic description of how this aspect of our relationship came to be.

Adele kept silent for a minute before asking:

"Sookie wanted this?"

"She offered me her blood freely and willingly."

"Oh well, I suspected something like that might have been happening, but I haven't noticed any bite marks…" Adele's voice faltered as if she came to realise something.

Oh shit! Anticipating her next question I quickly said:

"I heal the puncture marks after each bite, which is why you cannot see them."

I wasn't planning on restricting my bites to Sookie's neck, and I hoped Adele would not make me promise anything like that. Luckily, my explanation seemed to placate her.

"Very well. I suppose that it would have been rude of Sookie not to offer you any refreshment."

Right, my poker face was really getting a workout now.

"As long as we are in agreement that you will remain a perfect gentleman when it comes to Sookie's virtue…" Adele trailed off, giving me a pointed look.

I looked at the elderly woman straight in the eyes and carefully weighed my words before answering:

"Sookie will celebrate her 18th birthday as a maiden, of that I give you my word."

"Good. You may officially call on Sookie then, Mr Northman." Adele finally said putting her teacup back on the table.

When she stood up, I knew that the meeting had reached its natural end, and that I was about to be dismissed.

"Thank you for your hospitality Mrs Stackhouse," I declared.

"Please, Mr Northman, call me Adele," she replied, extending her hand.

I gallantly brushed my lips over her fingers before answering:

"In that case, Adele, I insist on you calling me Eric."

"Thank you for indulging an old lady, Eric. Please call again soon."

"I most definitely will."

As I was about to cross the threshold, Adele stopped me.

"One more thing, Eric."

I looked at her inquiringly, waiting for her to proceed. She seemed to be bracing herself for something.

"A decade ago, I had a serious cardiac incident and ended up in the hospital. I had lost consciousness and, as I was told afterwards, there was little hope of a recovery. However, against all the odds, I _did_ recover. The doctors could never explain the sudden improvement in my condition, nor the fact that all of my other health concerns suddenly disappeared. In fact, I became as healthy as a horse or, more accurately, as healthy as a woman 20 years younger. It was dubbed nothing short of a miracle."

She paused, looking at me intently. I was absolutely still.

"There is one thing I remember from my time at the hospital; something I have never been able to explain... The first thing I recall, coming out of my coma, was seeing a tall, blond man near me. Unluckily, my sight was still too unfocused for me to get a clear look at his face, and he was gone in a flash, long before the nurses arrived. When I inquired after him, I was told that no gentleman fitting the description I gave had been admitted to my room and, over the years, I have accepted that my mystery visitor was a figment of my imagination."

Another pause, lengthier and heavier than the previous one.

"But it wasn't my imagination. It was _you_, wasn't it?"

Her question was more of a statement, but she was searching my eyes for confirmation. Adele and I stared at each other for a very long moment; finally, I nodded my head once. Her eyes misted instantaneously as she whispered:

"What did you do?"

"I gave you some of my blood, Adele. Vampire blood has healing properties, which is why all your ailments subsequently disappeared. You were dying, and I couldn't allow that. I knew how much Sookie valued you, and your death would have devastated her; especially since she was not there to properly say goodbye. You had to live, Adele, for Sookie's sake."

"Does Sookie know?" she choked between tears.

"No, she doesn't; and I would like it to remain our secret. We both know that Sookie would feel irremediably indebted to me if she knew the truth, to the point where she would stop accepting any favours from me. I do not wish to upset the balance of our relationship in that way."

Adele dabbed the tears streaking her cheeks with the handkerchief I had extended to her, before taking hold of my hand and squeezing it tightly.

"Thank you, Eric," she declared in a surprisingly assured voice. "You are a good man."

I did not know why those simple words touched me so deeply, nor why Adele's good opinion mattered so much to me, but I left her house feeling peaceful and contented.

I drove back to _Dragon House_ to take care of some official business before heading out to Sookie's apartment; but when I opened the door of my office, I froze: casually lounging on my sofa, was none other than Niall.

**Niall POV**

"Good evening, Sheriff," I greeted him in a relaxed manner.

The Viking was standing in the doorway, completely unmoving, but I knew his apparent stillness was misleading: right this instant, he was carefully evaluating the situation and weighing his options. After a couple of seconds, I saw him relax and knew that he had reached the only logical conclusion: I would teleport away before he could reach and drain me, as he most likely wanted to, so it was preferable to hear the reasons for my visit rather than attacking me. He closed the door and walked towards his desk, then settled down in his chair and propped his feet on the lacquered surface, in a calculated display of insolence.

"Prince," he stated neutrally. "To what do I owe this unpleasant surprise?"

I brushed aside his rudeness and spoke:

"I know you value straightforwardness, Sheriff, so I will be plain: I have come to discuss your relationship with my great-granddaughter."

"I'm afraid this isn't a topic I am prepared to discuss with you," he replied in a bored tone.

"Shall I question Sookie instead?" I inquired innocently.

The Viking's reaction was immediate: in a blur, he straightened up, bent over his desk and bared his fangs in a threatening snarl.

"Stay away from her, Fairy!" he hissed.

I smiled pleasantly and casually declared:

"I had hoped not to involve my great-granddaughter, which is why I chose to contact you instead." I paused, giving the Viking time to simmer down and digest my threat, then I began my interrogation: "You have developed a romantic interest in my great-granddaughter, isn't that right?"

"She is mine," he replied in a stern voice.

I waited for him to elaborate, but he remained silent.

"I see." I declared. "This is a highly unusual situation, of course; but you will be pleased to learn that I do not object to your association with Sookie."

"Your _opinion_ on the matter is utterly worthless to me," he drawled, lifting his feet back onto his desk.

"As Sookie's kin, my opinion should in fact be of great importance to you," I scolded him.

The Viking had the audacity to snort derisively.

"Sookie herself has no regard for your input or judgement. You absolutely delude yourself if you think you are in any position to influence either Sookie or myself, here."

"And yet, as one of only two Fairy Princes left and a seated Member of the High Council, I have the power to have great sway over both your lives," I reminded him.

"Are you threatening me?" the Viking asked coldly.

"I certainly hope it won't come to that," I replied affably. "I simply wish to be involved in some measure in Sookie's life, so as to make the best decisions where she is concerned."

"You aren't in any position to make decisions for Sookie," he calmly countered.

"I am her kin!" I protested.

The Viking shrugged.

"She hardly recognises you as such. As far as she's concerned, you are the bogey man who ripped her away from her home, at the worst possible time in her life."

The Viking gave me a contemptuous look and I glowered at him. In response, he lowered his feet to the ground and leaned forward on his desk as his stare hardened.

"Let's cut the crap, Niall. What is your real interest in Sookie? You do not give a shit about her happiness, that much is clear; so why are we having this conversation? You need me to keep her safe for now; what I want to know is why?"

"Watch your language, Vampire," I warned.

"Answer the question, Fairy," he retorted in the same tone.

The Viking was playing a very dangerous game and he knew it. But he also knew that I was here because I needed a favour from him, and so would bear his impertinence until I got what I came for.

"The fact is that I still have many enemies, as well as heavy responsibilities in Faerun. I do not have the leisure to spend enough time within the human realm to properly care for my great-granddaughter. She would of course be safer in Faerun, where I could personally watch over her, but since she has elected to remain in this realm, I have no choice but to find other ways to guarantee her safety," I explained, not bothering to hide my disapproval. "Contrary to what you might think, I do care for Sookie's well-being."

The Viking sneered.

"The only reason why Sookie isn't currently in Faerun fulfilling whatever twisted fate you have in store for her is because she cannot survive there; not because you actually care in the slightest about her preferences."

I concealed my annoyance at the Viking's insight. I had hoped that he had not been made privy to the real reason for Sookie's departure from Faerun, but his knowledge could actually help my plan.

"My behaviour in the past has been… misguided; I accept that now. I have made mistakes in my handling of Sookie, but that is water under the bridge. I only care about keeping Sookie protected, and I want to earn the chance to regain her affection."

"You never had her affection in the first place, Niall. If you think emotional blackmail will work on Sookie, you are setting yourself up for a huge disappointment. She wants _nothing_ to do with you. Even if I were disposed to help you gain her favour, - and let's be clear, I would meet my final death before I would allow such a thing to happen - nothing I could say would ever make her trust you."

"I only require you to keep her safe. My relationship with my great-granddaughter is mine to heal. Will you agree to my wish?"

The Viking waved his hand dismissively.

"Your needs and wishes are the least of my concerns. I have been protecting Sookie for the better part of her life, and mostly from you." Here he shot me a venomous look. "And I intend to keep on doing just that."

I was getting tired of his disrespect but kept my temper under control. In truth, the Viking's attitude was most fascinating: his usually cool and controlled demeanour had been replaced with barely contained anger and outright hostility. The fact that he was addressing me with so little care for property and diplomacy spoke of his true feelings towards my great-granddaughter. That was a good thing: I would use his emotions against him.

"Very well," I declared, "I am pleased to hear that you will keep Sookie safe. However…" I paused for effect, "it is imperative that you do not form a permanent Bond with her."

That got a reaction; his whole body stiffened and he asked in an icy voice:

"Or _what_?"

"Or I will have no choice but to remove Sookie from your care, for her own protection. Don't you think I know exactly what being Bonded to you would do to her? She would become your slave in every way, and I cannot allow that."

The Viking did not twitch a muscle, but his whole demeanour oozed menace.

"Listen to me carefully, Fairy: if you so much as touch a single hair on Sookie's head, no portal in the world will be able to shield you or yours. I will not exert restraint as I did the last time you dared take her away from me. I will raise an army to hunt down and drain every single Fairy in this realm until your own people turn against you. Do. Not. Fuck. With. Me."

The Viking's reaction was exactly what I had hoped for, but I hid my triumphant smile and made a show of outrage instead.

"You forget who you are addressing, Vampire! Do _not_ make an enemy of me! You would not live long enough to regret it!"

"You need to go now, Niall," he announced in a glacial tone, "as the war in Faerun is about to become the least of your worries."

"I first want your word that you will not form a permanent Bond with Sookie," I pressed.

"You will get no such promise from me, nor will you get anything from Sookie. Your threats are empty and you know it. You cannot take Sookie into Faerun, and you cannot hide her from me in the human realm. You have no excuse to go against a blood bond, as blood Magic is held sacred above all others by the High Council, and you fully know that I would not hesitate to retaliate with extreme prejudice if you were to attempt to take Sookie away from me. Give up, Niall: Sookie is mine, and your machinations are pointless. Go find yourself another relative to exploit."

He waved his hand as if to dismiss me, and I gave him a scornful look.

"I take note of your appallingly disrespectful attitude, Sheriff. You will have nobody but yourself to blame for the consequences of your actions."

"Right back at you, Fairy," was his impassive response.

After one last glare, I teleported to my usual hotel lobby, and I allowed myself to smile. The encounter had been entirely successful, and the Viking's reaction had defied expectations. I was now certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would complete the Bond with my great-granddaughter within the year, and that was what I had been angling for all along. Reverse psychology was a powerful tool.

When Claudine had informed me that the Viking had begun the Bonding process with Sookie - my granddaughter had been grudgingly keeping me up to date with changes in Sookie's life after I had threatened to remove her as Sookie's Fairy Godmother unless she provided me with some news - I had at first been furious: how dare the bloodsucker tie himself to my kin in such a permanent manner? But then, she had alerted me to the alteration in Sookie's Fae essence, and while Claudine had not realized the value of this information, it had changed everything. After consulting with Catriona, we had reached the conclusion that the Bond she was forming with the Viking was indeed accelerating her maturity, and I was now convinced that her spark would fully emerge soon after she had fully Bonded with him.

I had promised Fintan that I would let Sookie live out her human life, and I would keep this promise. However, as soon as her spark was fully expressed, she would cease to be classified as human and would thus become fair game. The prospect of accelerating the process was deeply appealing, as it meant I would not have to wait until Sookie turned 28 to return her to Faerun. The 11 years she would take to reach her Fae maturity unassisted represented 77 years in Faerun and, by then, the war with Breandan would have most likely escalated to open warfare.

There were three major obstacles to my plan.

Firstly, as the Viking had rightly pointed out, it was impossible to challenge a blood bond in front of the High Council, _unless_ one of the parties willfully broke it. As a Fae Princess, Sookie could not be forced to Bond with a Vampire against her will, and if I managed to get her to renounce the Bond, it would be rendered void, and the Viking would be left with no recourse. I would then be free to return to Faerun with Sookie at my side, as I had planned from the moment I had learnt of her existence.

The two other issues - the fact that Sookie wished to live in the human realm and the fact that her bond with the Viking was consensual - would be resolved by the same solution: an amnesia spell. The idea was extremely simple, yet utterly effective. By the time Catriona was done working her Magic on Sookie, she would not remember anything of her human life, except for the carefully selected memories I would allow her to keep. She would only know me, and her loyalty would be to me alone. Under my guidance, she would renounce her Bond to the Viking and follow me to Faerun. The beauty of this strategy was that, even on the off chance Sookie ever regained her original memories after a period, she would then be unreachable and most likely already mated and with child. Neither Fintan nor the Viking would be able challenge my claim on Sookie.

My great-granddaughter would be entirely in my power, as she should have been all along.

* * *

**A/N**: Thank you for reading. Next chapter **All The Right Friends** will be posted by the end of the week, I hope.

On an unrelated note: I have entered the **Indie Fic Competition**. Since it's an anonymous contest, I cannot tell you which one of the seven entries is mine, but I invite you to go check them all out, as there has been some wonderful submissions (link is on my profile).

Public voting ends this Sunday.


	14. All The Right Friends Part I

**A/N**: Please allow me to apologize once more for the 'false alert' debacle of last Tuesday. According to my traffic stats, much less people than usual caught on the real update for chapter 13, which was posted on Wednesday; so please, if you haven't done so yet, take the time to read chapter 13 **Pretty Little Lies** (and review it if you can) before starting with this one.

Chapter 14 is a two-parter: it was shaping up to be very long and I wanted to keep on track with the twice-weekly updates, which is why I cut it in half so I could publish something in time for the week-end.

Much love and gratitude to my Beta **All About Eric**.

* * *

_Understand what I've become  
It wasn't my design  
And people everywhere think  
Something better than I am  
But I miss you, I miss  
'cause I liked it, I liked it  
When I was out there  
D'you know this, d'you know  
You did not find me, you did not find  
Does anyone care?_

_- Ode to My Family_ by The Cranberries

**Chapter 14 – ALL THE RIGHT FRIENDS (Part One)**

**SPOV**

The sound of urgent knocking on the door startled me from my dozing.

I'd been on pins and needles all evening, waiting for Eric to return from Bon Temps after meeting with Gran. I'd tried to read a mystery novel but couldn't focus on the words so I had ended up sitting on the couch in the living room, watching some mindless game on TV, and Jason had joined me for a bit. He and Tatiana had had a big fight and talking about his personal troubles had taken my mind off my own relationship with Eric, and how it might be adversely affected if Gran didn't approve of him. When I still hadn't heard anything from him by nearly midnight, I had lain down on the couch and had begun to doze.

Jumping to my feet, I dashed towards the entrance, not even bothering to check the bull's-eye, as I was certain it was Eric. Sure enough, his large silhouette filled the doorframe as soon as I had swung open the door. He was on me in a flash, fiercely cupping my head and kissing me with abandon. Before I even had time to realize what was happening, he had lifted me off the floor, and pinned my back against the wall. His lips left mine to devour my neck with a rumbling growl while his hands travelled everywhere, fondling my sides, my ass and my thighs – which were tightly wrapped around his waist - with a hunger that left me reeling. A tiny part of my brain registered that the front door was still open, but I was too lost to passion to care.

Eric slid down onto his knees, drawing my body with his and began forcefully rubbing against me. My back was banging against the wall in a way I knew would have been painful if I hadn't had his blood in my system, but I was enjoying his grinding too much to complain about his roughness. I let out a high-pitched moan when he palmed my breast with his large hand and pinched my nipple through my dress. Even taking into account the fact that we hadn't seen each other in a week, his fervor was rather extraordinary. I had no idea what had gotten into him tonight, but I was enjoying every second of it.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Jason's blond head pop through a crack of his bedroom door. He must have been woken up from his rest by the commotion and asked in a voice heavy with sleep:

"Hey, Sook, what…"

He stopped in mid-sentence, probably rendered speechless by the spectacle of his baby sister dry-humping his boss against a wall, in the freaking corridor, while the front door was still open. Jesus, I should have been embarrassed (though I was too excited to be, right this instant): this was a scene straight from an adult movie. I heard Jas chuckle as he closed his door and finally woke up to the fact that Eric and I needed to move this show – whatever this was – to my bedroom.

"Eric…" I breathed.

Before I could finish my sentence, he had zoomed us to my bed (he thankfully thought of closing the bedroom door) and resumed his urgent exploration of my body. I gasped when he ripped the front of my dress, sending little enamel buttons flying and exposing the white lace of my bra. The unbridled lust I saw in his eyes as he took me in frightened me a little. This was completely different from our usual make-out sessions, and I had a feeling Eric was not in control of himself, as he usually was under these conditions.

"Eric, what are we do…" I started.

"Shh! No talking tonight, lover," he cut in, and bent his head to suckle on one of my nipples through the lace that was still covering it.

I whimpered when he bit a little and gave up trying to make sense of the situation. Instead, I entwined my fingers in his silky hair and pressed his head closer to my chest. His right hand massaged my other breast while his left hand was stroking my wet sex through my panties. When he slid the fabric aside to probe me, the last barrier of restraint broke inside me. I pulled at his hair to make him lean back and clumsily got rid of his jacket. His shirt proved more of a struggle and, as I was getting impatient, he helpfully prised it off his body. I sat up to straddle him and clung to his neck and shoulders as I kissed him with all the heat I could summon.

Eric resumed fondling my sex, his fingers artfully bringing me to the edge as I moved against them. As he began tugging at the straps of my bra, sliding them over my shoulders, I wrapped my tongue around his extended fangs, one after the other, drawing a low moan out of him. God, this was _it_, I thought. We were going to make love tonight.

No need to pretend I hadn't thought about sleeping with Eric ever since he had reappeared in my life roughly two months ago. Hell, I'd been dreaming about this for years, and well after his blood had stopped having any effects on me. I had so much love and so much lust for Eric that I knew it was only a matter of time before we took this step; but I admit that I hadn't imagined things would go down quite like that. It seemed a bit of an impulsive decision, and my brother being in the next room was less than ideal; but I would have rather died than end things now.

As Eric brought me to my first orgasm of the evening, I bit his shoulder to muffle my cry - not hard enough to draw blood, but hard enough to break the skin - and he groaned in response. I was now crazed with sexual desire and I badly wanted him, no, I _needed_ him to fuck me. I was about to tell him as much when he purred in my ear:

"I want to taste you, lover."

"Oh, please, yes!" I breathed in response.

He sprawled me back down on the bed and leered at my exposed body with pure avidity in his eyes. He took his time smoothly moving his hands over my arms and breasts - which were threatening to pop out of my bra - and then down on my stomach until he reached my sex. He unceremoniously tore my panties (I was getting used to that) and discarded them on the floor, then rubbed his flat palm over my inner lips. I lifted my hips to meet him, sighing and wordlessly begging him for more. He was observing me with fascination as I undulated my hips in a tantalizing motion and he increased the pressure over my sex. He eventually bent down to claim my lips then began to lay a path of butterfly kisses down my chest all the way to where I was dripping with arousal.

Eric positioned himself between my thighs, which he held open by flinging my legs over his shoulders and, after a smoldering look, closed the distance and languorously licked my folds. The clash of sensations his cool tongue provoked on my warm insides made me jerk my pelvis, and I had to bite my lower lip to stop myself from yowling. This was too much, and not enough at the same time.

"Do not take your eyes off me, lover," he demanded, and I obeyed him.

With one of his hands still holding my thighs spread out at an angle that guaranteed optimum access, he used the other one to finger me. While his digits where probing and pumping, his mouth was mercilessly attacking my clit. In between sucking on my bundle of nerves, he began drawing seemingly abstract motifs along my slit.

Suck. Swirl. Suck. Swirl. Oh, God!

It took me a short while to realize he was in fact spelling the alphabet out with his tongue, and I think I valiantly made it to the letter H. While I was still riding out my second orgasm, he bit my inner thigh, causing a fresh new climax to overlap with the earlier one. I'd heard of multiple orgasms - though they sounded a bit like a myth - but I'd never heard of _simultaneous_ multiple orgasms. My Vampire was officially a God; and feel free to quote me on that.

Eric slowly made his way back to my face, making strategic stops along the path to tease and nibble, until he was once again hovering over me. My breath was still erratic from the incredible pleasure he had just given me and when he leaned in to give me a light kiss, I licked his lower lips to demand access, tasting myself in the process. The flavor was odd, through not really unpleasant, and when he parted his lips to allow me entrance, I deepened the kiss and sampled more of my arousal, mixed with a bit of my blood and his own fresh savor.

Eric was crowding me, as if he was afraid I might fly away if he let any space come between our bodies and, when I broke the kiss to breathe, he pressed his forehead to mine.

"Sookie," he whispered, as if testing out my name. "My Sookie."

I was lazily caressing his bare back, and attempted to fight to torpor that was threatening to pull me in as I waited for his next move. I could feel his sizable erection pushing against my leg, but he gave no indication that he wanted me to do something about it. Now that my most pressing ardors had been satiated, I wasn't so keen any more on having impulsive rough sex; and I wanted nothing more than to cuddle and drift to sleep.

To my relief, Eric shifted onto his side, rolling my body with his so that I was enfolded in his large arms, my face against his bare torso. I felt happy and safe and, after placing a kiss over his pectoral muscle, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to doze off.

I was awoken some time later by Eric's gentle nudges.

"Hum, what time is it?" I asked drowsily.

"It's 4.30 a.m.," he replied. "I am sorry to wake you, lover, but sunrise is only two hours away and we need to talk."

"It's OK, Eric; I'm sorry I fell asleep on you."

I noticed he had moved me under the covers while I was sleeping, but he had stayed above them.

"You are so beautiful when you sleep," he declared unexpectedly.

I blushed at the compliment and joked to cover my reaction:

"What happens when I wake up? Do I change into a pumpkin?"

"No, lover, you are just as beautiful; but my thoughts are not quite as innocent when you are awake."

I chuckled then realized I was still wearing my bra, even though it was a bit askew. I'd read it was bad for the breasts to sleep with a bra so I reached to unhook it. I stopped mid-motion when I noticed the hungry look Eric was giving me, and got out of bed to take a tank top and some yoga pants from my wardrobe. We needed to talk, as he had rightly pointed out, and it wouldn't be a good idea to distract him with my nakedness. Never mind the fact that I was bare-assed; and the fact was that Eric had already seen me almost – though not completely – nude. In fact, we'd come pretty close to a full reveal, tonight. Thinking of it, we'd come close to a lot more than that.

After I had pulled on the pants and the top, I took off my bra from under it and joined Eric back on the bed. He had sat down against the headboard, still wearing his pants and socks, and drew me to him so that my head was resting over his lap. I adopted a comfortable fetal position as he began stroking my hair and I gave him a smile.

"Did you close the front door?"

"Yes, lover, while you were sleeping. I'm afraid I got a bit carried away," he replied with an amused smirk.

"You don't say," I chuckled, then I got serious. "How did the meeting with Gran go?" I inquired nervously.

I had initially thought everything had been good and that his display of passion had been some sort of celebration but, the more I thought about it, the more I suspected it might have been a knee-jerk reaction against a disappointment, a way to let off steam, so to say. Eric smirked as he looked down at me.

"It was most interesting," he replied rather cryptically. "I now know where you get your fiery temper and smarts from."

"Okay… what that's supposed to mean?" I pressed. "Does it mean it went well? You're kind of killing me with the suspense here."

"Your grandmother has given her stamp of approval to our relationship," he replied, and I heaved a sigh of relief.

There was no way I would have ever given up on Eric, even if Gran had disapproved of him, but having to conceal our relationship would have broken my heart a little bit.

"She had a condition, though," he added, and I gave him an inquiring look. "No sex until you reach majority."

I sat up to gape at him.

"What? Are you serious?" He nodded. "But, why? I'm 17, which is plenty legal to have sex with whomever I want; I have checked."

"I know that, and I suspect your grandmother does too, but that was her condition, and I have agreed to it."

"What exactly have you agreed to?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"That you would remain a virgin until your 18th birthday."

"And what made you think this was your decision to make?" I asked crossly.

Eric seemed perplexed by my sudden bad mood.

"You were the one who asked me to be as accommodating as possible to your grandmother, as she had the power to, I quote, 'make things very difficult for us'," he defended himself. "She imposed one condition, on which her blessing depended; what was I supposed to say?"

"You were supposed to say that I'm my own person and that you can't bargain with her over what I'm allowed or not allowed to do with my own body; especially when I'm not even in the room!" I shot back.

Eric looked like I had slapped him in the face. He stared at me for a few moments before speaking:

"I'm sorry. What I should have said was that I won't attempt to have sex with you until you are 18. Whether or not we are still together in a year is, of course, out of my control," he declared tightly.

"That's not what I meant at all!" I protested. "I want to be with you, and I definitely want my first time to be with you; I just don't like to be made to feel like I'm not in control of my own private life!"

"I am not attempting to control you, lover," he said in a conciliatory tone. "And I don't imagine that was what your grandmother was doing either. I believe she thought she was protecting you."

"Yeah, well, that was damn high-handed. I may be a minor, but I'm not a simpleton. I can make my own decisions, for Christ's sake!" I grumped.

"If you want to challenge your grandmother's ukase, I have absolutely no objection, but you'll have to take this up with her."

"Thanks for the support, buddy!"

"Buddy?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow.

I shrugged.

"It's just an expression, not a new pet name."

"Please find a new way to express your frustration," he demanded. "Sookie, I understand that you have cause to be upset, but it seemed to me that, all things considered, the arrangement wasn't so bad. It's only ten months until your birthday, and we can still have some fun in the meantime."

"Speaking of fun, what was that all about earlier? Not that I'm complaining at all, but isn't what we just did a serious 'breach of contract'?"

"Not in the slightest," he replied with a smug smile. "I was very careful with my wording: I have promised your grandmother that you would remain a virgin until you were 18; I never said anything about you remaining untouched."

"Oh, I see. So basically everything but actual intercourse is OK."

"Exactly," he grinned, and I couldn't help but chuckle at his craftiness.

"Does that mean that I'm also allowed to please you back?"

"I had hoped you would offer to do so."

"I've been offering ever since we became a couple!" I exclaimed. "I would have happily obliged you earlier, if you had just asked. You're the one dragging your feet."

"You were in need of rest, and that took priority over my pleasure," he replied. "Let's just say that I took the matter into my own hands, after you went to sleep. I have been doing a lot of that lately," he added dryly, and I giggled. "But trust me, lover, there will be no more reluctance on my part. I am determined to gracefully accept anything you volunteer, from now on."

As pleased (and aroused) as I was with this new development, I was still feeling annoyed, and Eric felt my residual temper through the bond.

"Why are you still upset, Sookie?" he asked, masking his exasperation with difficulty. "You seemed to very much enjoy what we did earlier. Would that not be enough to tide you over for the next ten months?"

"That's not the issue!" I replied more snappily than I intended. "I'm not some sort of sex maniac! If you can wait, so can I."

"Then what, pray tell, is your problem?" he asked coldly.

I knew we were on the verge of a big fight, and I resolved to defuse a potentially explosive situation. I'd once read in an article that couples mostly fought over three issues: money, sex and lack of communication. Money would obviously never be an issue between us; sex, well, judging by the past two weeks, I didn't expect any troubles on that front; communication, however, was an area we would have to work on. I took a deep breath to compose my reply and to make sure my tone didn't come off as accusatory.

"Eric, when I agreed to be yours, I knew what it would mean for me in your world: that I would be regarded as your pet, as your possession, as your inferior; and I'm OK with that. But when it's just the two of us, I expect equality. I don't want you to make decisions for me, I want us to make decisions _together_."

Eric's face had remained impassive as I had made my little speech but his features softened when I finished.

"Lover, I would never want you to be anything but my equal. I have already declared you to be my mate to Soledad, and I am willing to do that again, as many times as necessary. If you wish, I will come back with you to Bon Temps tomorrow evening, and we will face your grandmother as a couple so that we can reach an arrangement _together_."

"No, it's okay, Eric. It's really my own damn fault for being a coward and not being there at your side in the first place. And you're right, Gran's demand isn't really unreasonable; she is just trying to protect me. It's more of a question of principle for me." I paused. "As long as you agree to always consult me in the future, whenever you have a decision to make on a matter that directly concerns me, I think we should move on."

"I promise I will, lover," he declared solemnly, and I gave him a bright smile. I moved to sit sideways on his lap, so that my shoulder was set against his chest, and placed a kiss on the base of his neck. He hugged me and rested his jaw over my hair. We lay contented for a few minutes before he spoke:

"There is another matter we need to discuss, but it can wait until later."

"Does it concern me directly?" I inquired as neutrally as possible, but Eric caught the hint.

"I am only postponing this discussion because it will be upsetting," he explained.

I swiveled my neck to look at him and extended my hand to cup his cheek.

"You don't need to cushion me all the time, Eric," I declared softly. "I love that you are so bent on shielding me, but I'm stronger than you think. And I'd rather we talked about what's on your mind right now, because I never feel safer than in your arms."

Eric stared at me with an unreadable expression on his face before speaking:

"As you wish, lover. The reason I was so late in coming to you tonight was because I had an unexpected visitor during my stop-off at _Dragon House_."

He paused and I patiently waited for him to continue.

"Niall came to see me," he stated evenly.

My whole body stiffened and I knew he was just as tense, despite his cool exterior. We both hated Niall, and neither of us believed he had given hope of returning me to Faerun. This revelation went a long way towards explaining his behavior earlier tonight: Niall must have had him wound up tighter than a spring, and I'd been his release.

"What did he want?" I asked in as composed a tone as I could muster.

"He came to ask me to protect you." Eric smirked when I snorted in derision. "And also to forbid me to Bond with you."

I jolted at his words.

"What?" I exclaimed in shock.

"Do not worry, lover, I have told him to go to hell," he reassured me, "but I have pondered over his words while you were sleeping and I can't make sense out our conversation. For a start, why would he mention the Bond at all if he was so opposed to it? It was just clumsy of him, as he knows I despise him and would gladly do anything to sabotage his plans. I also question his timing: it all seems a bit too coincidental for my taste that he would just suddenly appear and bring up the Bond so soon after we started it."

Eric didn't vocalize it, but I knew his accusation was aimed at Claudine. He and I did not see eye to eye when it came to my Fairy Godmother, but he had a point. I resolved to have a serious discussion with my cousin as soon as possible, to clear out any misunderstanding.

"What are you thinking? That Niall was trying to _goad_ you into Bonding with me?"

"Maybe; it's a possibility to consider. But that's where it gets confusing: how could he possibly benefit from our Bonding? Even a simple blood bond makes it difficult for anyone to come between us; but a permanent Bond would make it impossible. If Niall attempted to take my Bonded away from me, he would be cast out of the High Council and would have to stand trial. I would be free to kill him without repercussions. Why would he be reckless enough to risk that?"

A thought hit me and I gasped:

"Maybe it's because Bonding with you increases my Fae essence?"

"I have thought about that, but I don't see this as the explanation. Claudine has already made it clear that, even without my interference, you would reach your Fairy maturity in a few years. If I am fully Bonded with you, Niall won't be able to touch you, whether or not your spark is fully expressed. He would not be able to touch your family either, as my Bonded's human kin would be under my protection. I just cannot see his angle. There isn't a single scenario where you Bonding with me benefits him, and yet he went out of his way to put himself in personal danger by appearing in my office just to bring this point up. It makes no sense."

Eric's face was the picture of confusion, and I admit I was sharing his puzzlement.

"Maybe he isn't thinking straight because he's getting desperate?" I suggested.

Eric considered this for a few seconds and nodded.

"This is the only explanation that makes sense, so far."

"So, do you think we should continue the Bond?" I asked nervously.

"I think we should, yes," he declared after a moment of reflection. "Whatever game Niall is playing, you'll be safer the closer you are tied to me."

"You don't think he's gonna try to kill you, do you?" I inquired in a thin voice.

"He could try," Eric calmly replied, "but even on the off-chance he succeeded, he would then have to contend with many powerful enemies who would seek to avenge my final death. My Maker, for a start. I haven't seen Ocella in ages, but he is one of the most powerful Vampires on the planet, and he could vanquish Niall easily, I am certain. The High Council would back him, too. Niall knows all that better than anyone, and I doubt he would be so foolish and brash in his actions."

"OK," I nodded, feeling more at ease. "I trust you."

"I will always protect you, lover," he asserted, and gave me a tender kiss.

I straddled him to deepen the kiss as I was suddenly reminded of the pleasure he had given me earlier, and how I had yet to return it. Eric must have sensed my rising lust through the bond because he gently broke the kiss and said:

"I would love nothing more than stay here and play with you, lover, but dawn is nearing and I must get to safety."

I pouted a bit but, with a last kiss, I let him go.

"Goodbye Eric."

"Goodbye, lover."

I was woken up a few hours later by the acrid smell of burning food. Oh, great! Jason had attempted cooking once again. I dragged myself out of bed to clean up my brother's mess and fix us breakfast. Since Jas and Tatiana were still on the outs, he was coming back with me to Bon Temps for the weekend, and we set out soon after.

As soon as I arrived home, I smothered Gran, who was cooking lunch, with a bear hug. After being reminded of Niall's ominous presence in the background of my life, I was extra grateful for my _real_ family; the people who genuinely loved me and wanted my happiness.

As Jason stepped outside to mow the lawn, I stayed in and helped Gran bake the pecan pie she was planning for dessert.

"So, I met your special friend, yesterday," she commented.

"Yes, he told me. He also said you got along fine?" I probed.

"Oh, yes, he's very charming. And _very_ handsome. I certainly do not blame you for falling for him," she remarked, with a glint in her eye.

I wasn't surprised that Gran had been taken with Eric's good looks. In the pictures of their wedding, Granddad had appeared to be a very handsome man; and Fintan was a knockout, like all Fairies, so Gran was obviously sensitive to male beauty.

I waited for her to offer more details about their meeting to gauge the true impression Eric had made on her, but she just kept on raving about his good manners. That's when I decided to do something I had never willingly done before: I brushed over Gran's brain to read her thoughts. Deep in my heart, I knew Eric would never have glamoured her (he knew my opinion about glamour, and he respected me too much to manipulate the people I loved), but he and Gran were the two most important people in my life, and I needed to know for sure that they truly liked each other.

What I saw in Gran's mind filled me with shame and I immediately withdrew from her head. When she made eye contact to ask me to pour more sugar in the batter, she saw me gaping at her and asked worriedly:

"What is the matter, dear?"

"Gran, I'm so sorry," I choked, as my eyes filled with tears.

"Sookie, what are you talking…" she stopped mid-sentence as understanding dawned on her. "Oh dear, I wish you hadn't seen that."

Her tone was reproachful, and she didn't seem upset by what I had discovered, but rather by the manner in which I had gained that knowledge.

"How long have you known?"

She sat down next to me and took my hand.

"About Vampires or about Eric?"

"Both."

"I have known about Vampires since after you came back from the Fae realm. Fintan came to talk to me the day after he brought you back, and he revealed to me all he knew about the Supernatural creatures that populated this earth, so that I would know what you would potentially be up against. He also told me that you had somehow gained a Vampire protector; a man who had taken you under his wing and would seek to protect you against Niall and any other enemies. I never knew of his identity, even though I was aware that you met him at night after I had gone to bed. Fintan had insisted that I had nothing to fear from him, and that his attachment towards you was pure and sincere, so I allowed this to happen; especially when I noticed how you seemed to gain control of your telepathy, and your life drastically improved as a result."

Gran extended me a tissue so that I could wipe my tears and blow my nose. I was absolutely overwhelmed by her words, as I felt like the heavy weight of secrecy was being lifted from my shoulders.

"I recognized Eric for what he was almost instantly," Gran continued, "and I immediately suspected that he was the Vampire protector Fintan had referred to; something Eric indirectly confirmed when he answered a seemingly unrelated question."

I nodded and squeezed her hand.

"Gran, I'm so sorry I didn't trust you with this secret. I feel so foolish; I should have known you would understand," I said.

"I admit I was surprised you did not confide in me, even after learning of my relationship with Fintan and the Fae," she observed with emotion, "but I do not blame you for protecting a friend; I understand that it wasn't your secret to give away."

We hugged across the table for a long time until Jason came back in the house, looking all sweaty, and gazed at us with a bewildered expression on his face.

"Are y'all crying about a cake?" he asked.

Gran and I disentangled ourselves and mopped our faces with paper tissue. Gran urged Jas to go take a shower and, when he had disappeared into the ground-floor bathroom, I declared:

"I haven't lied about how long we've been together as a couple, you know."

Gran gently tapped my hand before asking:

"Did he tell you what I have asked of him?"

"He did."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," I replied, shaking my head. "I mean, I understand why you made that demand; but I would have preferred it if you had consulted with me beforehand."

"I'm sorry, dear. I only thought of your well-being. I am not so naïve as to believe you aren't old enough to think seriously about sex," (it was somehow shocking to hear that word in Gran's mouth), "but I remember my own first time, and how filled with love it was. Your grandfather… I mean, my husband, was the first man I was intimate with, and I am certain he would have been the only one if only we could have had children."

Her eyes clouded with sadness yet she didn't seem bitter.

"I know times have changed, but I also know that very few things are more rewarding in life than when intimacy, love and trust are joined together. I wanted that for you, and I wanted to spare you the regrets that come with rushing too fast into important decisions."

"I know you only want the best for me," I nodded. "But I can assure you that I have all this with Eric: the love, the trust and the intimacy."

"You do love him?"

"With all my heart," I replied sincerely.

"Does he love you?"

I hesitated, thinking on how to form a fair answer.

"I believe he loves me as much as Vampires are capable of love, yes."

"I understand. And I also feel like I have been rather over-zealous, now that I know how long you have known him. In my defense, I did impose my condition before I knew with certainty what he was to you."

"No, it's OK. I actually think this was the right decision to make. Eric and I have been friends for years, but we actually hadn't seen each other for four years when he came back into my life about two months ago; so while our relationship is solid in many aspects, our romance is very new, and we need time to properly explore it. Waiting will do us good."

"And force you to get creative, I assume," Gran quipped.

I gaped at her with a half-shocked/half-amused expression and she gave me a knowing smile. It seemed like Gran was a lot less strait-laced than I had assumed.

"Oh, I was not born yesterday, young lady," she shrewdly commented. "And that Vampire of yours was weighing his words like a fruit merchant at the market; trying to see how much he could get away with."

I burst out laughing and Gran soon joined me. We were still giggling when Jason made his reappearance, and shook his head at our bipolarity.

"Now, ya'll laughing! I'll never understand women and their mood swings."

I called Eric immediately after dark. I knew he usually woke up an hour or so before sunset, but I wanted to leave him some time to himself.

"Good evening, lover," he greeted me.

I smiled to myself at his improved phone manners and went straight to the point:

"Hi Eric. So, Gran knows."

"Yes," he replied neutrally.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"She asked me not to."

"It seems we are in a habit of keeping secrets from each other, me, Gran and you," I remarked without anger. "I'd really like to change that. No more secrets, OK?"

"Lover, there will always be things I won't be able to share with you; but I promise you I won't ever lie to you; or to your grandmother, unless it is for her own protection."

I knew that this was the best I would get and I accepted that there were aspects of his life I couldn't - and didn't want to - get involved with; the instances when he was dishing out Vampire justice, for example.

"OK, we have a deal," I replied.

"Since we are having a full disclosure moment, I'd like to share some news with you and your grandmother."

"Sure, do you want me to put you on speaker phone?"

"I'd rather do this in person."

"OK, I'll tell Gran you'll be here in…"

"One hour," he filled in.

"One hour, that's fine. See you then, Eric."

Eric ended the call without saying goodbye (hey, baby steps) and I proceeded to alert Gran to his impeding arrival. True to form, she went to fancy herself up for our guest while she made me tidy up the kitchen and the living room.

When Eric's Corvette pulled up one hour later, I went out to greet him. We stole a few kisses on the porch while Gran made herself conspicuously scarce, then I took his hand and led him to the living room where Gran was waiting for us (Jason was spending the evening with Hoyt and his buddies at Merlotte's). I smiled as I saw Gran and my boyfriend greet each other like old friends, before we settled down on the couches, Eric and me next to one another, and Gran facing us. Eric addressed Gran but held my hand to let me know I was included in his speech.

"Adele, I have some good and bad news about your granddaughter, Hadley," he started.

Gran and I simultaneously gasped.

"Have you found my baby?" Gran asked emotionally.

"Yes," Eric nodded. "Sookie asked me to put someone on her trail two weeks ago, and I was happy to oblige."

Gran shot me a grateful glance and I gave her a small smile.

"Where is she? Is she… is she alive?" she inquired in a tense voice.

"She's… well enough. Still battered, but she's getting better," Eric answered.

"What happened to her?" I demanded.

"She was assaulted and had to be hospitalized in New Orleans. I have taken charge of all her healthcare bills and arrangements," he explained, but I knew from the significant look he gave me that there was more to the story.

Considering the crazy stuff Hadley had been involved with, I was grateful for his discretion in front of Gran, who was upset enough as it was.

"Thank you so much for your kindness, Eric. Can we see her?" Gran demanded.

"She is still recovering," he declared, "but I could arrange a phone call, if you wish."

"Please, Eric, that would be wonderful," Gran breathed.

Eric whipped out his cell phone and dialed a number at lighting speed, then placed the device on the coffee table in front of us.

"Sir?" came Amy's voice.

"Are you in the vicinity of Miss Delahoussaye?"

"I am at her bedside, sir."

"Please inform her that her cousin Sookie and her grandmother Adele wish to speak to her," he instructed.

I heard some shuffling then some muffled conversation before Hadley's sweetly childish voice came on.

"Gran? Sookie?" she asked shyly.

Gran started crying in earnest as soon as she heard Hadley's voice, and while my own eyes remained dry, I knew Eric had sensed my emotion through the bond because he wrapped his arms around me for comfort.

"Hadley, darling, we are here," Gran choked between tears.

At the other end of the line, Hadley was sobbing.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so ashamed; please forgive me," she pleaded.

"Oh, my sweet baby, it's nothing," Gran replied. "All that matters is that you're all right. I forgive you my darling."

This was getting to be too much for me and I shot out of my seat to head into the kitchen, where I broke down crying. After a few moments, I felt Eric's large arms circle my waist from the back. He held me while I wept, silently offering me his moral support.

When I had calmed down, I turned to face him and wrapped my arms around his neck. He bent to lick at my tears as I basked in his affection.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he offered.

I swallowed and took a deep breath.

"That could have been me," I declared, looking up at him.

His expression was one of intense focus, but he didn't give away anything in terms of emotion.

"Do you remember the first, no, the second time we met, when I talked about Uncle Bartlett and his sickest fantasies?"

He nodded once.

"Well, what I didn't realize until later was that only the mental images of rape involving me were fantasies; the ones involving Hadley were memories." I paused to will fresh tears to stay back. "When you dispatched him, you saved me from the worst, but it was too late for Hadley: Bartlett had already destroyed her. The drugs, the alcohol, the self-destruction, it is all a consequence of the abuse she has received at his hands."

I couldn't contain my hurt anymore and Eric held me closer as I shed tears on his shirt.

"Shh, lover, you are safe now," he soothed me.

I lifted my head to meet his eyes and declared with devotion in my voice:

"I love you so much."

His eyes filled with an expression I identified as awe, and he was still for a few instants. Then, a slow smile formed on his lips and he pressed his forehead to mine. We stood there, lost in our embrace, until Gran cleared her throat.

I detached myself from Eric's arms and offered her a sincere smile, which she returned happily.

"What did she say?" I asked.

"She's very sorry, and very eager to see us again," Gran replied.

Her eyes were still wet and reddened from all the crying she had done, and I went to hug her. She then turned to Eric and took his hands.

"I am in your debt in more ways that I could ever repay you," she declared. "You are family, as far as I am concerned, and this house is yours to call home. Thank you so much, Eric; words cannot express how grateful I am."

I saw Eric blink once or twice and, for a second, I thought he was about to join the weeping party, but the fleeting moment was gone as fast as it had come and he was back in control.

"No, Adele, it is I who am in your debt, for bringing Sookie into this world, and thus into my life," he responded, and I almost started crying all over again.

Just at this moment, the back door opened and Jason staggered in. He took in the scene before him, with Gran and me obviously looking like we'd been recently crying while his boss was standing in the middle of the kitchen. My brother wordlessly shook his head, incredulity plain on his face, and slowly backed away; probably to escape this madhouse of weeping women in favor of the sanity of his own home.

As he closed the door, Gran's eyes and met mine and we burst out laughing, leaving poor Eric just as confused as Jason.

* * *

**A/N**: Thank you for reading. Next chapter **All the Right Friends** **(Part Two)** will be up next week. Due to circumstances beyond my control, updates for _The Watcher_ might be slower for a while.

On a semi-related note: Charlaine Harris has finally provided an explanation for Sookie's telepathy in _Dead Reckoning_, among other revelations. I had started this story wanting to stick fairly close to CH's canon (save for my little timeline adjustment and its major consequences), but my take is now blatantly un-canon, in addition to OOC.

If you have read the book, what did you think of it?

I personally wasn't too fond of it: lots of things made no sense to me and I guess the wonderful authors of FF have spoilt me, because I wasn't much impressed with the writing or the characterization. I'd love to hear your thoughts, but if you do post spoilers in your review, please do not forget to put a spoiler alert warning.


	15. All The Right Friends Part II

_Everytime I walk down the street with you  
I'm as proud as a girl can be  
Just to know that you are mine  
And all that good loving belongs to me_

_In the presence of all my friends_  
_You stood there holding my hand_  
_And you promise me faithfully_  
_That you will be my only man (…)_

_Your love is super_  
_Are you diggin' on me 'cause I'm diggin' on you_  
_I'm just trying to tell you_  
_Oh this love is super duper_

_- Super Duper Love (Are You Diggin' On Me?) _by Joss Stone

**Chapter 15 – ALL THE RIGHT FRIENDS Part 2**

**SPOV**

After Jason left, Gran, Eric and I sat down around the kitchen table to discuss Hadley. Gran and I once again came close to tearing up when Eric listed her injuries: two broken ribs, a fractured cheekbone and split lip, a dislocated shoulder and bruises consistent with a belt whipping all over her body. As Eric pointed out, the objective hadn't been to kill – none of the injuries was life threatening – but to inflict as much pain as possible. As it was, when she was first brought down to the clinic, Hadley couldn't so much as lie down without howling in pain so they had to put her in a medically-induced coma to allow the worst of the bruising to go down. When Gran inquired how long it would take for Hadley to bounce back, he explained that the private clinic she was being treated in was Supe-owned and operated, and mostly catered to Weres. The kind of care she was receiving - a mix of human medical knowledge and Magic - meant that, after only two weeks, she was already pain-free and mobile, and her ribs were expected to be fully healed by the end of next week. As for her drug problem, the 'impulsive' element of her heroin addiction had been suppressed through glamour - which worked much like extremely powerful hypnosis - but she would need therapy to address the root causes of her self-destructive tendencies. Gran was relieved but I had some concerns.

"Eric, won't she be awfully suspicious? I mean, healing from a broken rib is like two months minimum, not two weeks. Beside, she's bound to have met some Supes and she'll have questions."

"I have briefed the management; they know your cousin is a 'civilian'. She is being kept relatively isolated in a wing of the clinic that hosts only the more innocuous patients. Unless she also happens to be telepathic, she'll have no way to tell they are different. As for her healing period, I could glamour her…"

"No!" I cut in.

Gran raised a disapproving eyebrow at my rude interruption and I apologized to Eric before explaining myself.

"Glamour messes with the mind, and I think Hadley has been messed with enough to last her a lifetime."

"What do you suggest?" he asked.

I shot an anxious glance in Gran's direction.

"Well, I think she has the right to know about her background. Now would be as good a time as any to tell her some hard truths, because she seems to be willing to take her life in a new direction, and knowing that she's special in ways she hadn't suspected might elevate her self-esteem a bit. I also think she would appreciate the show of trust, and it might bring us closer together as a family."

"Or it might terrify her into withdrawing even further from us," Gran somberly remarked.

I turned towards Eric to seek his input.

"In my experience, people are more likely to accept seismic changes in their life if they are already going through transformations," he said. "It's a make or break situation, though: either she will take it all in her stride or she'll just crumble under the pressure."

I turned to Gran, making it clear that it was her call. After sighing, she stated:

"I should have been honest with y'all a long time ago. There have been too many secrets for too long in this family, and it's time to let the truth shine. Linda and Jason also deserve to know."

I felt incredibly relieved and thanked Gran. Her decision taken, she headed back to the living room to call Hadley's mother and fill her in. Once she was out of earshot, Eric leaned towards me.

"You do realize that if any members of your family look like they're about to become a security threat, I will have to glamour them whether you approve or not, don't you? The containment of information relating to the Supernatural world is a prominent part of my brief."

"I understand, but let's try it my way first."

Eric nodded and I took advantage of his silence to ask the question I had been holding back while Gran was still in the room.

"Did they catch the guy who did this?"

"He has been taken care of," he answered succinctly.

"Good," I replied.

I knew Eric's answer meant that Hadley's attacker, whoever he had been, was currently serving as premium fertilizer (if there had been enough left of him to bury, that is), and I was perfectly satisfied with this outcome. I couldn't even blame Eric's influence for my 'eye for an eye' mind-set, as I'd killed two men myself, with little remorse. I was unapologetically ruthless when it came to protecting myself or mine.

Gran came back in the kitchen with a briefed-up Linda on speaker phone. My aunt profusely expressed her gratitude to Eric, and we spent the next ten minutes making arrangements. It was decided that Gran, Jason, Eric and I would fly out from Shreveport on Monday at first dark and pick up Linda on arrival at New Orleans, then head out to the clinic.

Gran retired to her bedroom soon after. The evening had left her physically and emotionally exhausted and she didn't have enough appetite to actually eat dinner. I wasn't feeling particularly hungry either but I forced myself to warm up some leftover lasagna to accompany a slice of pecan pie, as I didn't want Eric to think I wasn't taking care of myself… and of my blood supply. I wished for him to feed from me as often as possible, not only because I knew how much he enjoyed it, but also because his feeding always ended in hugely pleasurable acts of intimacy.

Once I'd finished my meal, I went to sit on Eric's lap and we quietly cuddled in the empty kitchen.

"Are you hungry, my love?" I asked.

I'd been half-teasing him but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that 'my love' apparently wasn't on the list of verboten pet names. Eric leered at me with a smirk and said:

"Well, that depends on what is on the menu, lover."

I giggled and shook my head.

"Oh, no, no, no! This is my Gran's house and she is right upstairs; so the only thing on the menu tonight is blood, you filthy-minded Vampire."

Eric jokingly pouted, causing me to laugh louder.

"I am fine, lover," he stated when I had calmed down, "I took quite a lot of your delicious blood yesterday, and it'll keep me going for days."

I bent to lick his lower lip and whispered:

"I sure hope not."

Eric growled and took hold of my neck to pull me into a heated kiss. We made out some more until we both agreed it was better for him to leave if we were serious about keeping things PG-rated.

I escorted him to his Corvette but, before he climbed in, he offered to take my closest friends and me to the cinema multiplex in Clarice the next evening. I supposed I shouldn't have been surprised by his offer: Eric had proved over and over again that he was committed to doing normal 'boyfriend stuff' with me, and he'd already met Scarlett, so it wasn't such a stretch that he would want to take me out on a movie date and spend some time getting to know my friends. I enthusiastically accepted his offer and gave him a kiss goodbye.

The next morning over breakfast, I convinced Gran to come to Clarice. She needed a little bit of encouragement, but relented when I pointed out that this would be a unique opportunity for her to watch Eric and me interact in a casual setting. A while later, I walked up to the Fairy meadow to summon Claudine. Calling on my Fairy Godmother was actually a fairly simple task that could be performed anywhere, but the meadow was an especially peaceful place, and guarantied a certain modicum of privacy. My cousin appeared a few seconds after I metaphorically pulled on the magical thread that linked us, looking as groomed and gorgeous as ever.

"Sookie!" she greeted me with a tight hug. "To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"

"Please sit down with me," I enjoined her. "I need to discuss a serious matter with you."

She knelt in front of me in a tailor position and looked at me intently. I dove straight in.

"Did you inform Niall that Eric and I had started the Bond?"

My heart sank when she stared at me with her mouth slightly ajar and blushed furiously, as this was the confirmation of Eric's suspicions. I willed my temper to stay under control and glared at her.

"How long have you been feeding Niall information?" I asked tersely.

Claudine brought up her hands in a defensive posture and furiously shook her head.

"No, Sookie, wait! It's not like that. Let me explain, please!"

I eyed her coldly and silently waited for her to proceed. She sighed heavily before speaking up:

"Sookie, first of all you have to understand that since Niall was the one to appoint me as your Fairy Godmother, he also has the power to strip me of this position anytime he chooses. He has been pressuring me to 'spy' on you from the beginning, but I have always turned his requests down, up until a couple of years ago, when he threatened to remove me from my post at your side unless I started giving him something; _anything_."

She lowered her eyes and continued after a pause:

"So, for the past two years, I have been sharing information about your life with him, just to keep him happy. I only ever share details that might seem intimate on the surface but are in fact harmless, like who you're dating, who are your closest friends, or what are your likes and dislikes. I never told him about your Swim coach, for example, so he doesn't know you that you can kill with your mind."

She paused again, and lifted her eyes to gauge my reaction, but I kept completely still.

"I had to tell him about the Bond, Sookie," she went on. "He would have found out sooner or later because of the way your Fairy essence intensified. Had I kept that fact hidden, he would have realized how much I am keeping from him. I had to tell him! Please understand!"

She was looking at me with pleading eye but I was unmoved.

"So let me get this straight," I began in a icy voice, "for the past couple of years, you have been giving away to my worst enemy all the intelligence he needs to best manipulate me: the people I care about, my personality traits, and now the Bond, which just happens to accelerate my Fairy development. Harmless, huh?"

Claudine looked horrified.

"No… it's not… wait!" she stuttered.

I abruptly stood up and turned to leave. I felt betrayed and wasn't sure I could contain my temper enough not to strike at my cousin in anger or, even worse, unleash my power at her. Before I could get away, she grabbed my arm.

"Please Sookie! I had no choice!" Her tone was imploring. "Niall cannot do anything to you: he has sworn to leave you alone. All the knowledge in the world won't do him any good unless you willingly agree to come to him."

I spun round.

"And it didn't occur to you that he could try to 'persuade' me to do as he wished by using the details you gave him to coerce me?" I spat.

"You have the Viking to protect you," she defended, "and once you are his Bonded, you will be virtually untouchable. That's one of the reason why I told him: I had hoped it would make him back off definitively."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Then why did he visit Eric to specifically bring up the Bond? He straight up forbade him to Bond with me which, frankly, is the best way to ensure we _will_ complete the Bond. But it's not like Niall to be so leaden-footed; there has to be something else in play."

Claudine looked confused for a moment.

"The only explanation I can come up with to justify his behavior is that he panicked when he learned that you were Bonding with Eric. There is no way for him to interfere with a Bond, and maybe he wasn't anticipating you would take this step so early… maybe he has had a secret plan in place and you Bonding with the Viking would foil it."

"A secret plan? I though I had nothing to fear from him?"

"I… he made a promise, and a Fairy's word is binding, that's all I know. Niall does not really trust me and never shares his plans with me."

"Oh, I wonder why…" I uttered sarcastically.

Claudine looked completely defeated and her misery was plain in her face. I could see that she was sincere in her remorse and I had to fight the impulse to hug her and tell her that she was forgiven. She had fought for me back in Faerun and had been my lifeline, and I would always be grateful for that. But despite our past history, I was hurt by her actions: she had had hundreds of opportunities to confide in me, to tell me what was going on, instead of sneaking behind my back and make her little arrangements with Niall. As well intentioned as she had been, I couldn't just smooth over her duplicity.

I crossed my arms over my chest and declared in a firm voice:

"I'm incredibly disappointed in you, Claudine, and I'm embarrassed that, tonight, I will have to go to my boyfriend and tell him that he was right all along about you, and that I've been a fool."

Claudine began weeping but I impassively carried on:

"I don't want you around me anymore. Tell as many lies as you want to Niall, and do as many inter-dimensional 'trips' as needed to make it look like we're still in regular contact, but I don't want to _see_ you anymore, nor talk to you. If you want me to forgive you, you'll have to do for me what you've been doing for Niall: gather usable information. I want you to find out what he's been up to and how do I fit in with his plans, and especially why he's so interested in the Bond. Until you have something of value to bring me, this is goodbye, cousin."

And with that, I turned my back on my Fairy Godmother and headed home.

I was broody for the rest of the morning, still reeling from my cousin's betrayal, but I was helped out of my dark mood by a conference call with the girls. They both agreed to join me for the movie night at Clarice, Tara being particularly excited by the prospect of meeting my 'beau'. We agreed to meet up at Gran's at 8 p.m. and I spent the rest of the day reading and helping Gran cook and clean.

Soon after the girls arrived, I took Tara aside in my room. Scarlett pouted a bit at being excluded but I needed to broach a delicate subject with Tara, and I wasn't comfortable having witnesses. Once we were seated on my bed, Tara looked at me inquiringly.

"What's up, Sookie?"

"Err, I was wondering if you minded talking about guys for a bit?" I asked, and she raised an eyebrow. "Well, specifically, about how to please a guy."

Tara threw her head back and laughed.

"All those years you've been telling me to shut up about my boyfriends, and now look who is coming to me for advice!" she gleefully teased.

I scowled at her but I had to admit she had a point: Tara had always been pretty vocal about her many dalliances, but I had never been a particularly co-operative audience. The irony was that the one person in our tight circle of friends who was just as keen on sharing the details of her intimate relationships was Scarlett, but they both found the other's sex-life deeply unappealing, so they avoided the subject like the plague between them. Still, now that Eric had OK'd a new stage in our romance that included me pleasing him back, I was in need of some tutoring, and Tara was the most sexually experienced person I knew (in the arts of heterosexual love-making, that is) that I both trusted and was comfortable confiding in.

"What do you want to know?" she inquired once her bout of hilarity had subsided.

I brought my fist to my mouth and made a rather obscene gesture, and we both giggled.

"Have you ever tried it before?"

I shook my head no.

"OK, the first thing you need to realize is that a good blowjob is more about enthusiasm than objective skills. If you look happy to be down there, chances are _he'll_ be happy."

"Got it," I nodded. "Any specific recommendation? I don't think I'll have any issue with the enthusiasm part - and you'll understand why when you meet my boyfriend later tonight - but I really could use some help on the skills front."

"Sure. The golden rule is: keep your _teeth_ out of the way!"

I chuckled when she made a comical grimace of pain. She grinned at me and went on listing tips:

"If you happen to be a very lucky girl and can't take all of him in your mouth, use your hands to get the rest of him covered. Start slow and speed things up progressively. If your jaw gets numb, it's OK to take a break, but keep on stimulating him with your hands. Don't stop sucking when he starts peaking, that's just as bad as when guys stop licking right before you're about to get an orgasm."

She looked at the ceiling as if looking for things to add. I had been brushing her mind all through her speech and had gleaned some very vivid – and enlightening – mental images to illustrate her words.

"Oh, yeah!" she exclaimed. "His balls need love too!"

"Good to know," I chuckled. "I would hate for them to feel neglected."

"That should be enough to get you started," she said with a smile. "Don't worry too much; just pay attention to his reactions and you should be fine."

"Thank you, that really helped a lot."

"I have to say, though, I'm now more impatient than ever to meet the guy who managed to thaw the ice-queen," she remarked with an eyebrow wiggle.

"I am not an ice-queen!" I protested. "I'm picky, that's different."

Tara gave me a dubious look and quipped:

"That's not what all your blue-balled ex-boyfriends are saying."

I playfully swatted her and we went back downstairs to join Scarlett in front of the TV.

"What was that all about?" Scarlett irritably asked as we flopped down on the couch.

I leaned towards her and explained what Tara and I had been doing upstairs, and her eyes grew wide.

"Eww, I'm so glad I wasn't around for _that_ discussion!" she muttered, making me chuckle.

Eric came to pick us up an hour after dark. He had put aside his Corvette in favor of a luxurious Mercedes SUV. I went out to greet him as soon as I heard him swerve on the driveway and took advantage of the semi-privacy to give him a long kiss.

"You were right, about Claudine," I confessed when we broke apart.

He gave me a questioning look so I quickly recounted my conversation with my Fae cousin. When I was done, he kissed the top of my head and said:

"I take no pleasure in being vindicated, this time. I know how much you loved Claudine and I am sorry to see that your trust has not been rewarded with the loyalty it deserved. Still, you handled her beautifully, and we now have a spy in Niall's camp. Hopefully, she will bring us some answers."

I nodded and took his hand to lead him inside, where everybody was waiting for his arrival.

Tara's jaw hit the floor when Eric stepped into the living room. She barely registered his greeting as I made the introductions and I couldn't help chuckling at her reaction. I had had years to get used to Eric's staggering beauty, and by the time my teenage hormones had kicked in, I was familiar enough with him to be able to control the _outward_ signs of my attraction and avoid totally embarrassing myself. Even Scarlett showed more interest in him than she had the first time she had met him, seeing as she didn't have Pam to distract her attention. As for Gran, she made no effort to hide her great pleasure in seeing him, and she fussed so much over him (to Eric's obvious delight) that I couldn't help thinking that, had she been 60 years younger, she would have probably fought me for his affections.

We all loaded up in the SUV and headed to Clarice. I was seated in the back between Tara and Scarlett, with Gran and Eric riding in the front. We all took part in some easy small talk along the way, and I was impressed with how friendly Eric was being. At some point, Tara bent towards me and whispered in my ear:

"You hit the damn jackpot, Sookie! I now understand what you meant earlier, you lucky bitch!"

Eric could of course hear every word she was saying and I didn't even need to look in his direction to know that he was sporting a cocky smirk right now. I decided to play with his ego a little bit.

"You think?" I whispered back innocently. "Scarlett thought he was just cute."

"What? Is she blind?" Tara exclaimed incredulously.

Realizing she'd been too loud, she lowered her voice and mumbled:

"Lesbians really have no taste."

I rolled my eyes (Tara could be ditzy and uncouth at times) and checked Eric's reaction in the rear-view mirror. As I had anticipated, he had a shit eating grin spread all over his face.

After we had arrived at the multiplex, I choked on a laugh as I realized that, alongside a few current releases, the cinema was having a Vampire themed retrospective. On offer were three popular Vampire movies: _The Lost Boys_, _Interview With a Vampire_ and Francis Ford Coppola's _Dracula_. I looked up to Eric and rolled my eyes.

"You planned this, didn't you?"

He gave me an innocent look that reeked of guilt, and I chuckled.

"I wanted to give you an opportunity to compare the fantasy with the real deal," he whispered in my ear. "I thought it might make you even more appreciative of what you have at home."

Ugh! Cocky Vampire!

Gran, the girls and I argued over which movie to watch but we were soon in agreement over _Interview with a Vampire_. I personally favored _Dracula_ (and so did Eric), but neither he nor Gran had seen the Tom Cruise movie, and Tara had a massive crush on Brad Pitt (though after meeting Eric, I did wonder how high she now ranked Brad).

As we were queuing for popcorn, a familiar voice caught my attention. I turned around to be faced by the sight of my ex animatedly joking with a group of friends.

"JB?" I blurted out.

JB turned to see who was calling his name and, as soon as his eyes caught mine, the smile died on his face. He silently stared at me, and I blushed bright red. It had been months since I'd directly interacted with JB, as he had gone out of his way to avoid me after our break-up one year ago. I had apologized to him but my pleas to salvage our friendship had fallen on deaf ears. In light of how poorly I had treated him, I couldn't blame him.

I glanced at Eric, who was in front of the till, to watch his reaction: considering how jealous Vampires could be, he might not react too well to being in the presence of my ex. Instead of the posturing I had been fearing, Eric looked completely relaxed: he'd obviously heard me call JB's name since he had looked back, but he merely winked at me when our eyes met and turned his back to us to pay for our order. I guess it had been silly of me to think my Vampire would feel remotely threatened by my 18-year-old ex. JB and I exchanged stilted greetings, and the situation was made even more awkward when Gran spotted him and jokingly asked why he had become a stranger (Gran had always liked JB, who she called a 'sweet boy'). Eric finally saved me from this unpleasant situation by wrapping his arm around my shoulders and announcing that the movie would be starting soon.

Once we were all seated in the screening room, Eric asked quietly:

"Why the shame, lover?"

I could not evade his question as he had of course felt my emotions through the bond, but I was loath to revive such an embarrassing memory.

"I was a horrible girlfriend to him," I finally confessed. "I used him in the worst way and it resulted in humiliation for him."

Eric nodded and didn't press the issue. I looked up at him incredulously:

"That's it? You're not going to ask for details?"

"No; this is in the past. Beside, if you're still feeling remorseful about treating an ex-boyfriend badly one year after the fact, chances are you won't be so careless with me. His pain, my gain."

I had to admire Eric's pragmatism, even if it didn't do much to ease my guilt. My ruminations were cut off when the room darkened in preparation for the beginning of the movie. Eric took hold of my hand and rested our laced fingers on his thigh.

During one of the many scenes where Lestat and Louis were enjoying some erotic tension, he leaned towards me and whispered in my ear:

"What are they doing? Are they trying to fuck, or to braid each other's hair?"

I stifled a giggle and whispered back:

"The movie is based on Anne Rice's work, Eric. Her Vampires can't have sex."

Eric stared at me with a scandalized look on his face and muttered:

"What the fuck?"

This time, I couldn't curb my amusement and laughed out loud. I got heckled and a few moviegoers turned to glare at me, but I was too entertained to care. Eric was still quietly bitching about the 'dickless wonder' Vampires when the end credits rolled.

Since Gran was feeling too tired to walk, she and the girls agreed to wait in front of the cinema while Eric and I made our way to the parking lot to pick-up the SUV, and my boyfriend vented his indignation all the way to the car.

"What a bunch of wimps! Not only can they not fuck but they spent half the movie whining about their lost humanity. Louis wouldn't have lasted a decade in the real world. Thinking of it, maybe he wouldn't have been so depressed if only he could have gotten laid. Lestat seemed the only one to have a bit of spirit and sense of fun, but then he turned out to be such a weakling that his own child and a bloody brat bested him! How on earth did they think it would be a good idea to turn a damn child, in the first place? That movie was appalling!"

My sides were hurting from laughing so much during Eric's outraged rant.

"It's just a movie, Eric. You don't have to take it so seriously," I chuckled, once we were seated in the SUV.

He ignored me and kept muttering:

"Humans will be in for a shock when the time of the Big Reveal comes."

His remark instantly sobered me.

"The High Council is going ahead with it?"

"It is inescapable at this point."

He turned his head to look at me.

"Does this prospect bother you?"

I gave him a warm smile and placed a kiss on the back of his hand.

"Nothing will please me more than to declare to the world: 'this is my Vampire'," I replied with sincerity.

The ride home was uneventful and I happily crashed on my bed after Eric had left: the day had started on a sour note, but had ended beautifully.

I returned to Shreveport with Gran on Monday (Jason had left on Sunday night). She had never visited Jason's apartment and she was as impressed as I had been with the level of luxury. This is when I realized I hadn't actually come round to explaining her the real nature of my employment with Eric, so I disclosed our arrangement. Gran was surprisingly accepting, going as far as telling me that she was delighted I had found a way to put my God-given gift to good use.

Gran and I spent the rest of the afternoon shopping for groceries and preparing Hadley's favorite meals. When Jason came home from work early (he'd been given two days off by Eric), we all started packing for the trip to NOLA.

Tray was waiting for us with a limo at first dark, and he drove us to a corporate airfield in the outskirts of town, where a private jet was waiting for us. I was surprised to see that Eric was already there (he must have flown) and, since we had an audience, we restrained our greetings to a hug and a kiss on my forehead on his part. While Gran remained composed and outwardly unaffected by the display of wealth, Jason was positively bouncing around at the prospect of riding in a private jet. Eric didn't know it, but neither of us had ever been in a plane. In fact, save for my trip to Faerun, I had never even left Louisiana.

Once we were all settled in our plush seats, Eric outlined the plan for the night. He owned a property close to the clinic where the whole family would stay for the night. The hospital's administrator had agreed to release Hadley as an outpatient under Eric's care, since she was almost fully recovered, so she would get to spend the whole evening with us.

During the flight, I moved to an empty seat facing Gran and Jason and proceeded to tell them about Uncle Bartlett's abuse. It was the last of my secrets, the one that had weighed the most on my mind, but they needed to know the truth in order to gain a better understanding of Hadley. Jason's reaction was one of anger: he had loved Uncle Bartlett and had cried at his funeral, but he now loudly hoped the bastard was burning in hell (we were in agreement there). Gran's reaction was far more subdued, but I didn't make the mistake of underestimating the strength of her feelings: she was devastated. I stood up and bent to hug her and whispered in her ear:

"It wasn't your fault Gran. I did try to tell mom, but she dismissed my accusations as lies, so I didn't dare come to you for fear of being rejected again. I would have said something, eventually, but Eric found me first. He took care of Uncle Bartlett."

I leaned back to watch her reaction to this revelation. Her eyes were opened wide and she turned a misty gaze towards Eric, who was sitting alone in the opposite aisle. Her lips quivered as she mouthed 'thank you'. Eric nodded once and gave her a smile.

We finally arrived in New Orleans to find another limo (driven by Amy) waiting for us, and, after making a stop at Linda's house to pick her up, we made our way to Hadley.

The clinic was set up in a large Italianate mansion surrounded by a manicured park, and we had to cross no fewer than three security check-points before we were allowed inside. Belying its classical exterior, the ground floor of the facility was similar to that of any efficiently run hospital, with medical equipment everywhere, white shiny floors and pale blue walls, rows of doors lining the corridors and personnel in scrubs bustling around. The only detail that separated this clinic from the average human hospital was the absence of the acrid smell of industrial-strength disinfectant. I guess Supes had other ways to keep super bugs at bay.

Hadley was waiting for us in the visitors' area, and my cousin launched herself at her mother as soon as she saw her. The left side of her face was still slightly bumpy from the blow she had received and she winced when Jason gave her a bear hug, but aside from that, she appeared in good health. Eric discreetly watched from the side as we had our emotional little family reunion. It had been years since we had all been in the same room, and I hadn't realized until this moment how much I had missed the closeness. I was about to introduce Eric but Gran beat me to the punch. She slid her arm in the crook of his and made it crystal clear by the effusive way she sang his praises that he was as much part of the family as any Stackhouse or Delahoussaye, as far as she was concerned. After the third round of hugs had been given and the last tear of happiness had been shed, we all exited the clinic.

When we arrived at Eric's home, a redbrick townhouse in the center of the city. I was a bit surprised that Eric owned a house in a rather conspicuous part of the town but he explained with a smirk:

"This is New Orleans, lover, where Vampires hide in plain sight."

We were greeted by Eric's housekeeper, a friendly woman named Paulette who had very unusual brain patterns (Eric later explained that she was a witch). She saw to our luggage and, after checking that all our needs were taken care of, she left. Gran took over the kitchen to warm up the dishes she and I had cooked earlier in the day. As we were eating dinner and chatting boisterously, I noticed that Eric was being uncharacteristically reserved. I had first assumed that his retiring attitude was merely discretion, to give us space to reconnect with each other, but I now saw that something was bothering him. I stood up to walk up to him and sat on his lap.

"Is something wrong, Eric?" I asked.

He seemed to hesitate but eventually quietly said:

"Your Aunt Linda is dying."

I gasped, drawing Gran's attention, but I ignored her for now.

"What does she have?" I whispered.

"Unless I'm mistaken, she has pancreatic cancer. She's not showing external symptoms yet, but I can smell the disease."

"Well, if it's in the early stages, it's a good thing, right? She can get treated."

He shook his head sadly.

"No, Sookie. While her cancer is not yet manifesting, it is already in its advanced stage: it is too late. Not even Vampire blood could cure her at this point."

"How long?" I breathed.

"Months," he soberly replied.

"No, no, no…" I pleaded.

Hadley had just begun repairing her relationship with her mother, she had recently been given a new life-line and it looked like we were all going to be a real family once again; this could not happen now. As I was holding onto Eric for comfort, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Gran's concerned eyes filled with a silent question. I shook my head and mouthed 'later', and she thankfully didn't press me.

As the evening wound down, we all went into the drawing room to gather around the gorgeous fireplace. Eric gave me a significant look and I knew the time had come for the dreaded conversation.

"Hadley, Jason, Linda," I called. "There is something Gran, Eric and I have to talk to you about."

They all eyed me with curiosity and, after Eric took my hand to calm my nerves, I proceeded to reveal that the creatures they all thought only existed in fairytales and horror movies really lived among us. They all thought I was making a rather poor joke until Gran took over to tell them about Fairies and her affair with Fintan. I was aware of how much it must have cost her to confess her infidelity to her own daughter, but she did not waver. By the time she had ended her tale, they were staring at us in stunned silence. I figured now would be as good a time as ever to drop the final bomb; namely the fact that the newest addition to our happy family was a Vampire. Linda and Hadley screeched when Eric dropped his fangs and Jason stumbled backwards while cursing.

There was a minute-long silent standoff and, for a moment, I thought Eric would have to glamour them all, but Gran managed to de-fuse the situation. She explained everything Eric had done for our family and even brought up the death of Uncle Bartlett. Gran took this opportunity to tearfully apologize to both Hadley and Linda for not having done a better job at protecting them. Her strategy worked: they were now too busy being grateful to Eric to be scared of him. Once the tension had simmered down a bit, Hadley and Linda asked question after question for close to an hour, at the end of which Jason finally decided to pipe up:

"The Fairy stuff, is that why Sookie is wrong in the head?"

Gran leaned over to him to smack the back of his head.

"Jason Stackhouse! There is nothing wrong with your sister. On the contrary, she is hugely gifted. Don't you let me hear you say otherwise ever again."

Jason had the good sense to look abashed and, while I was a bit annoyed by his remark, I had at least the answer to a long-standing question: Jason did know about my telepathy. And judging by Linda and Hadley's lack of a strong reaction, they also had at least suspected. Eric went on to warn them in the strongest terms about Niall and to explain that our Fairy heritage made us particularly attractive to Vampires, so we all had to be careful with whom we associated, as not all Vampires were as well disposed towards humans as he was.

"Vampires mostly keep to themselves, and relatively few of them have as high a profile as I have. But your Fae essence works much like a Vampire beacon because Fairy blood is addictive for us and, should you cross paths with Vampires, you would run the risk of being drained."

"Is that why you're with Sookie? Because she tastes good?" Hadley asked.

I glared at her as Gran admonished her but Eric was unruffled and calmly answered her question.

"I cared for Sookie long before I got to taste her blood. Besides, I have great control over my feeding impulses. For example, your mother's scent is extremely potent, much more so than Sookie's, yet, as you can see, I have no trouble refraining from biting her."

Linda looked queasy for a couple of seconds but she relaxed when Eric gave her a wink and a reassuring smile. He had made his point and Hadley shot me an apologetic glance. Eric answered a few more questions and, after making them all swear secrecy, he looked at me significantly. I immediately understood what he was asking and brushed at their brains. As it turned out, they had all taken the revelations surprisingly well. Having Gran, the pillar of the family and the poster girl for common sense, act so relaxed around Eric did help them be accepting of him and, by extension, of the Supernatural world. None of them was in a hurry to share what they had learned with anyone, as they were afraid of having their sanity questioned. Jason, in particular, hoped the truth would never leave these walls, as he was worried about what being related to Fairies would do to his macho reputation at his construction job. I turned to Eric and gave him a nod.

Since it was late, we all agreed to call it a day. Before she headed upstairs to her room, I took Hadley aside and told her about her mother's cancer. I held her as she cried and comforted her as much as I could.

"I thought you needed to know so that you take full advantage of every minute you are lucky enough to get to share with her. Use the time to make your peace with her and to ensure that she spends the months she has left happy and loved."

"Oh, Sookie, I need more time. I've been such a wretched daughter," she wept.

"And you are being given a second chance to make things right. Don't blow it, Hadley, and don't waste time on regrets."

She nodded against my neck and wiped her tears.

"Thank you, Sookie. You've saved my life in more ways than one, you know."

"This is what family is for."

We hugged once more, then I let her go. Eric was waiting for me in the drawing room: it was the first time we'd been alone together all day. I went to sit on his lap and gave him a long kiss.

"That went well," I remarked.

"Much better that I had hoped, actually. I am quite surprised at how accepting your family proved to be. You are quite an unusual bunch, by human standards."

"Well, apart from Gran, we aren't totally human," I chuckled. "Besides, Hadley and Jason grew up around a freaky child who could read minds, and Linda is probably too happy to have her daughter back to give much thought to anything else."

"True, but I still want you to monitor their reaction tomorrow during the day. I need to know if any of them is a potential leak risk."

"I will," I promised, and stole another kiss.

"Shall I carry you to your room?" he asked.

"Can't I stay with you?"

"I would love it if you did, lover. I didn't offer because I thought that, with your grandmother here, you wouldn't accept an invitation to follow me to my resting place."

"Well, this is a big house," I replied with a saucy grin. "Beside, your house, your rules, right?"

"Absolutely," he replied with a smirk. "But I would advise that you take care of your human needs now as this won't be an option once we are in my lair."

I went up to my guest room to use the bathroom and take a shower. When I came back to the drawing room, wearing a thigh-grazing white silk slip, Eric smiled devilishly and carried me in a princess hold to the library, where the entrance to his underground lair had been concealed behind a wooden panel. Still holding me, he descended a flight of stairs until we reached an ultra-modern open plan loft space.

The media corner hosted a complex sound system – complete with an impressive selection of CD and Vinyl - and a huge TV screen with a massive collection of VHS and, as closer inspection revealed, that new DVD technology that had recently been introduced to the US market. The king-size bed was placed at the center of the room, and was clearly the place were Eric spent most of his time when down there. The bathroom area was separated from the rest of the loft by a glass partition. It looked straight out of the brochure for an exotic hotel, and made me regret showering only minutes before. The color scheme was very tame: most of the furniture was white leather, the floor was covered in thick white carpet (except for the bath area) and the walls were painted a blue-grey color. Art objects scattered across the loft provided occasional flashes of colors, but the general effect was that of a luxurious but rather impersonal show-room, which wasn't really surprising considering he spent very little time here. Once I'd finished my tour, Eric gave me the access codes to the security doors so that I would be able to join my family the next morning.

I plopped down on the bed, rolling around the suede comforter like a happy cat, while Eric put on some jazz music (when I asked, he informed me the artist was Miles Davis).

"I am going to take a bath, lover; feel free to join me," he teased.

I rolled on my tummy and shifted on the bed so that I was facing the bathtub, and casually propped myself on my forearms.

"Hum, I think I'm going to enjoy the show from here," I replied, waggling my eyebrow.

"As you wish, lover."

Eric entered the bathroom and pushed the glass sliding doors closed. He then opened the taps to fill the tub and straightened up to offer me a side-view of his body. He then began disrobing slowly, making each gesture deliberate for my benefit. As he undressed, steam formed around him, creating an even more sensual feel. I jokingly wolf-whistled when he took off his T-shirt, making the muscles of his torso and his arms ripple and flex. Humm. He then casually brushed a hand over his bare chest down to his ripped abs until he reached his belt buckle. He took his sweet time discarding it and then undid his fly in slow motion. Ugh! My eyes were riveted on his hips and crotch area as he slid his jeans down. He stopped mid-gesture just as I was about to get an eyeful and waited for me to lift my eyes to wink at me. Just as I was about to read him the riot act, he turned his back to me and let his pants drop at his feet.

I let out an unladylike groan at the sight of his perfect ass as he sank into the ridiculously large bathtub. I had to fight all my instincts not to follow him there, but I knew that if I got into that bathtub, I would make a perjurer out of Eric, because there was no way I could abstain from jumping him.

Eric leisurely cleaned himself, soaping his body and soaking his long limbs, all the while fully aware of how wild he was driving me. The smug smirk never left his face and he turned to look at me from time to time just to wink or extend another invitation to join him with a gesture of his hand. I was pretty much a steaming puddle of goo by the time he stood up to drain the tub and rinse himself. Once again, he made sure to offer me a great view of his rear, and I had to refrain from attacking him and biting his round cheeks. At long last, he turned around, ostensibly to grab a towel, but really to offer me my first peep of the one part of his anatomy I had fantasized about just as much as his ass.

I was not disappointed. His cock was just as perfect as the rest of him. It was slightly swinging between his thighs as he moved, a gorgeous, tantalizing pillar of flesh that looked like it was only waiting for my special attention. I knew he was observing my reaction so I made a show of hungrily licking my lips.

He exited the bathroom and, as he advanced closer to the bed, the memory of our first encounter hit me and I could not halt the chuckled that escaped me. Eric stopped dead in his tracks and asked:

"Something amusing, lover?"

"Hum? Oh, it nothing, Eric. I was just thinking about something silly."

"You saw my cock and started to laugh; I think I very much want to know what the joke is about," he retorted tersely.

Oh God! Poorly played Sookie, poorly played! Eric wasn't really angry yet but he was getting there fast and I had to find a way out of this mess. 1,000-year-old Vampires were like any men in some aspects and did not take too kindly having their penises made the object of ridicule.

"I was not laughing at you, Eric, I was laughing at myself," I insisted.

His face remained bland except for a raised eyebrow, so I continued:

"I was remembering the first time I saw you naked and… well, you know how everything look _so_ much bigger when you're a child…"

I attempted to laugh it off but his eyebrow was still buried in his hairline. It didn't look like I was going about it the right way.

"It's still very, _very_ impressive of course!" I hastened to add.

It really was.

"So I've been told," he answered neutrally.

Great, he was still pissed. I sat up on the bed, pulled back the comforter and extended an inviting hand.

"Come here."

He hesitated for a second but eventually closed the last of the distance. I crawled on my knees to where he was standing at the edge of the bed and looked up at him as I slowly ran my hands up the back of his thighs, all the way up to his ass. His skin was still warm after his bath and began to place kisses on his stomach while my hands were fondling him. When I got to his cock, I laid a single kiss on the base of his shaft, causing it to stir.

I let go of his ass to pull him down onto the bed and make him lie down with his back against the headboard, then I straddled him. His mood was now considerably lighter and he claimed my lips in a passionate kiss, which I happily returned.

Still kissing him, I slid a hand down to circle his shaft and began massaging him. I could feel his cock rapidly growing and thickening against my fingers, to the point where it became difficult to contain it all within my grasp. I looked down and took in the sight of his erect cock for the first time.

God. Damn.

My jaw might have been hanging open as, when I managed to tear my eyes from the anatomical masterpiece in my hand to meet Eric's eyes, he was grinning smugly. Gulping, I declared solemnly:

"I take back everything I said earlier. With apologies."

"How sorry are you, exactly?" he asked with a leer.

"Well, I'm sorry enough to almost literally _eat_ my words," I replied saucily.

His chuckle turned into a moan as I slid down his body and covered his impressive organ with my mouth. Remembering Tara's tips, I lowered myself as far as my throat would allow (sadly, not that far) and circled the rest of his cock with both my hands. His abs clenched as I began sucking him enthusiastically, drawing on his hard sex with leisurely caresses of my lips, all the while carefully observing his reactions. My fingers were stroking and kneading his flesh, finding a regular rhythm that worked well with the bobbing of my head. After a while, I briefly allowed his cock to slide out of my mouth to ask:

"Is this OK, Eric? I have never done that before… Do you like what I'm doing?"

"Hum, lover," he muttered, looking down at me with eyes clouded with lust. "Do not stop, this is fucking perfect."

With a satisfied smile, I bent my neck to impale myself on his length, and adopted a more aggressive cadence. Eric dug his fingers into the sheets and hissed:

"Nice and slow, lover, nice and slow… I want to savor this."

I reduced my pace and I let my tongue glide over his smooth skin, leisurely licking, sucking and teasing as he spurred me on with mumbled words of approval. When he laced his fingers in my hair and applied some pressure, I moaned around his shaft, creating vibrations that made him bang his head against the wall. I withdrew a bit in order to relax my poor overextended jaw, making sure to keep my hands busy, and suckled on the tip of his cock. I reveled in the way he was squirming against the sheets, his eyes shut tight and his lips whispering curses (or were they pleas?). I could tell he was close and I moved a hand to rub his balls with my palm just as I lowered myself once more onto his shaft. His chest rumbled as he growled, and his hips bucked.

"Harder, lover," he demanded, tightening his hold in my hair. "Fuck… this is perfect."

I increased the tempo, tormenting his cock in a wild rhythm. His taut thighs and abs shuddered as he let out one moan after another until, with one protracted groan, he climaxed in my mouth. I swallowed all he had to give and did not cease my ministrations until the last of the tremors had dissipated and he lay still. I slowly let go of his cock and sat up.

His eyes were half closed and he was sporting an expression I was becoming familiar with: that of blissful oblivion, of hunger sated, of urges satisfied. And judging by how long it took him to recover, my blowjobs were even more pleasurable than my blood. He eventually fully opened his eyelids and uttered in a husky voice:

"Fuck, lover, this was incredible. I refuse to believe that this was your first time."

I grinned coyly and quipped:

"Beginner's luck."

I leaned towards him, letting my lips hover over his, itching to kiss him but not knowing whether he had any issue with tasting himself. As it turned out, he didn't, as he fiercely attacked me, mercilessly ravishing my mouth with his tongue. I wrapped my arms around him, still straddling him, and began grinding against his bare lap. He was hard once more and I moaned at the friction his cock was causing against my clit, my flimsy panties the only layer separating our sexes.

Eric pulled my slip over my head, exposing my bare chest for the first time. He took a minute to admire my breasts, whispering 'perfect' and 'beautiful' as he gently cupped and caressed them. He next laid me down on the bed and began kissing his way down my body, stopping to pay special attention to my nipples and draw a little blood from my areola. Lifting his head, he said with a fangy smile:

"My turn, lover."

Oh God, I had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

* * *

**A/N**: For the record, I love the movie _Interview with a Vampire_ and I worship Anne Rice. When it comes to Vampire literature, _The Vampire Lestat_ is still the gold standard, as far as I'm concerned (sorry, Bram Stoker). I just thought Eric wouldn't be as taken with Anne's view of Vampires as I am.

My entry for the **Indie Fic Contest**, _Club Ocella_, is now available to read under my profile.

Lastly, I am delighted to announce that the **Fangreaders Group** has invited me to be their spotlight author tomorrow Saturday the 14th at 8 p.m. GMT (9 p.m. BST, 4 p.m. EST). To get an invitation, please send an e-mail to Fangreaders gmail . com (no spaces).

Thank you for reading. Next chapter **The Undergraduate** will be published next week.


	16. Power Players

**A/N: **In the previous chapter, I introduced a new character, a witch named Paulette, whom many of you recognized from **Ericizmine**'s fanfiction _Bored to Death_. It was never my intention to plagiarize another fanfic author but I just read so much fanfic that I sometimes get confused between CH's canon and the original characters created by the talented people on FFnet. I apologize for the confusion. Paulette will be mentioned once more in this chapter and then never again.

Since I've unwittingly 'stolen' a character from **Ericizmine**, I feel like it's only fair to pimp her stories in return. If you aren't familiar with her work yet, I highly recommend _Bored to Death_, _Meanwhile_, and **especially** _Saints & Sinners_, which is hands down **the best** AH Eric & Sookie story I have ever read (though I recommend you read a few chapters before forming an opinion, as I wasn't taken with the story until the second chapter). You can find links to her stories on my profiles (under favourite author and favourite stories) and she has a wordpress blog where she posts all of her work (_It Can't Be_ is excellent).

Now, back on topic: the chapter I had planned (**The Undergraduate**) just didn't pan out as I intended so I had to write this extra chapter to set it up. I thank the ladies at the Fangreaders chat – especially my clever Beta **All About Eric** – for giving me many ideas.

* * *

**Chapter 16 – POWER PLAYERS**

**EPOV**

I woke up to the distinctive scent of my lover – a heady bouquet of gardenia, orange blossom, honey, a hint of myrrh, and many more inscrutable elements that made her natural fragrance so unique and mesmerizing – combined with the faint almond aroma of her grooming products. I was lying on my side, my arm circling her warm, naked body, and her back pressed against my chest. Judging by the enchanting whiff of sun I caught lingering on her skin, she had recently been outside, and I was touched that she had thought of coming back to my lair to await my rising.

I buried my nose in her glossy mane, filling my lungs until I was drunk from her essence, then began exploring her inviting body. With great care, so as to not prematurely wake her, I brushed a hand over her bare thigh until I reached the swell of her hip. There, I lingered on the expanse of flesh, and allowed the pads of my fingers to skim over the sun-kissed skin. I then traced the downward slope leading to her narrow waist, slowing down but not stopping as I made my way to her bust. She stirred as I cupped a breast, the supple mound easily filling my grasp, and gave it a slight squeeze as I playfully flicked the nipple with my thumb.

Due to her increased work-out regimen, she had lost weight over the past two months – much more than I would have liked her to, as I preferred my women voluptuous – but her proportions had remained as sensuous as ever. She was still a perfect hourglass, and while the softness of her limbs had been replaced with toned muscles, her cleavage had stayed generous. I had worshipped those breasts last night; I had suckled and licked and bitten, I had buried my face between her bosoms, I had kneaded and stroked, _all night long_, and I still wanted more. They were absolutely perfect: firm yet pliable, her rosy nipples pebbling at the slightest stimulation, her areolae darkening as her arousal increased, taking the same shade as her flushed cheeks as I had made her orgasm over and over again.

I was already hard against her lower back, and her sleepy moan as she came to only agitated me further. Owing to the copious amounts of blood I had taken from her during our marathon foreplay session the previous evening, I was not hungry, but there was another hunger in me; my hunger for her body, that would never be sated, no matter how many times I fed my desire. She was a goddess of sensuality whom I strove to worship, inch by voluptuous inch. Recollections from last night ran through my mind: the taste of her arousal on my tongue, the look of her body under the soft lights, the way her muscles tensed as she wriggled under my touch, the changes in her complexion as she neared her completion, the silky feel of her skin, the way she muttered my name and begged for more… Gods, she would be the death of me.

I had initially believed that waiting almost a year to deflower her would prove a frustrating exercise in self-control but, after last night, I knew I would experience no discomfort. Sookie had given me more pleasure with her mouth alone than many women had managed with their whole body. Aside from her beauty, she was a generous and considerate lover, and what she lacked in experience, she made up for in enthusiasm and eagerness. She had not shied away once as I had guided her, showing her the ways I best liked to be touched, and made sure to pay back every pleasure she gave me, with interest. She was a quick study, and I was already looking forward to teaching her so much more (the art of foreplay was quite an extensive subject to cover). I was no longer seriously considering pleading with her grandmother to release me for my promise, as I now knew that the next ten months would be extremely entertaining for the both of us, regardless of whether I got to fully claim her.

Now fully awake, Sookie pressed herself tighter against me.

"Good evening, lover," I purred in her ear.

She mumbled a greeting and began rubbing her ass against my groin. I grunted as she arched her back to reach round behind her to stroke my erection. Not to be outdone, I brought the hand cupping her breast down to her sex to bury my fingers within her folds. We each worked the other, moaning and groaning until we reach our climax.

"I never want to wake up any other way," I said after we had both come down from our high.

"Hum, I sure could get used to that kind of treatment myself," she chuckled.

I carried her to the bathroom and, as we washed the sex off our bodies under the hot stream of the shower, I asked her about her day. She told me how, after she had joined the rest of her family this morning, Hadley and Linda had broken the news of Linda's cancer over breakfast, resulting in a very emotional scene which, to be completely honest, I was glad not to have witnessed (weeping women always caused me some discomfort).

"Hadley is moving back in with her mother," Sookie explained. "She's going to join an Addicts Anonymous support group near their home and stay by her mother's side to care for her as much as she can. Gran will be spending a lot of time in New Orleans, too."

"I would be more than happy to arrange for Linda to be treated in the same clinic as Hadley," I offered as we were drying off. "As I have already explained to you, Linda's disease is too advanced for her life to be saved, but her last months can be made as painless and comfortable as possible. As for the matter of transportation, my plane will be put at your and your Gran's disposal."

Sookie thanked me effusively and proceeded to tell me about the rest of her day. She had done as I had requested, and probed the minds of her family members several times during the day to verify their true feelings in regards to the previous evening's conversation, and I was pleased to learn that she had deemed them all trustworthy. My efficient housekeeper, Paulette, had followed my instructions and served as a helpful hostess to my guests: she had seen to their needs and kept them entertained by taking them sight-sighting around New Orleans. They had come back to the townhouse late in the afternoon to find a Were courier waiting in front of my door to hand-deliver a Royal summons.

"An actual summons?" I mused aloud while stripping the soiled sheets from my bed. "Well, that's extravagant, even for Sophie-Anne. A simple phone call would have sufficed."

"Why didn't you warn me that I would meet the Queen, Eric? I did not pack any fancy clothes, so Paulette and I were forced to head back out to find me a suitable outfit."

"We? What are you talking about?" I asked. "I have to make an appearance at the Palace to pay my respects to the Queen, but that does not include you."

Sookie, who had been putting on her underwear, halted mid-motion to give me a puzzled look.

"Eric, the summons was addressed to the both of us. Look, I brought it down."

She went to pick up a large ecru envelope from the coffee table and extended it to me. Sure enough, _Sheriff Northman and pet_ has been penned in cursive black letters. The red wax seal bearing Sophie-Anne's arms had been broken when Sookie had opened the message and, when I read the oversized note, I was surprised to see that she had been listed by her full name; and her presence was explicitly requested at my side at the Palace. I frowned in confusion: while it shouldn't have surprised me that Sophie-Anne had had my house monitored and had found out the identity of my guests, I still hadn't expected her to show any curiosity in my human companion. I couldn't see how Sookie would be of any interest to her, unless… Shit!

I frantically reached for my mobile phone and rang Cataliades' office. A silvery-voiced secretary answered my call and informed me that my lawyer wasn't available yet. I cursed under my breath but knew better than to inquire into his whereabouts. Instead, I left a message asking him to contact me urgently.

"Eric, what is going on?" Sookie asked, clearly bewildered by my behaviour.

"It is highly unusual for the Queen to expressly request the presence of one of her subject's pets at court, unless she has reason to believe they can benefit her in some way."

I gave her a significant look and she caught on immediately.

"You think she knows about my telepathy?" she gasped.

"This is an eventuality we have to prepare for. It is either that or she has somehow found out about your link to the Fae. She has had a long-standing obsession with Fairies and, during her quest, she was once led to Bon Temps by the words of a Were who was present the night I met you. I took care to tie up that particular loose end years ago, or so I had thought, but Vampires have long memories."

"But how could she possibly have found out? We've been so careful."

"Sophie-Anne is cunning and has access to considerable resources. Her wanting to meet you might be mere curiosity on her part, as I have never taken a pet before; nonetheless, we have to consider the possibility that she might have discovered your ability and/or your heritage and wishes to add you to her retinue."

"But she can't do that, since I'm already yours, right?"

"She is my Queen," I replied, "and I have to tread carefully around her. I cannot flatly refuse her your services if she requests them, or openly defy her if she chooses to offer you a place at court. This is one of the reasons why I was calling Cataliades: I want to move the signing of the 'declaration of ownership' forward in order to strengthen my claim over you... if that's still what you want, of course."

"God, yes! Now more than ever."

I could feel her anxiety through the bond, even though outwardly, she remained remarkably composed.

"Sookie, I do not want you to sign your life over to me out of fear. There are other ways I could protect you."

She shook her head.

"I admit I'm afraid of what could happen to me without protection - I would be stupid not to be – but my willingness to permanently commit to you has nothing to do with fear, Eric. I meant it when I said that I loved you."

I felt the truth of her words through the bond and it filled me with joy; but when I thanked her for her trust, her love and affection turned into disappointment. I was aware that she had been expecting some sort of reciprocity, but I couldn't allow myself to mislead her. I had thought nothing of proclaiming my love to hundreds of conquests I had cared nothing about, but my Sookie was different: she deserved nothing less than absolute honesty, and the truth of the matter was that Vampires did not love. What I felt for Sookie was intense, complex, confusing, and unique, and I didn't fully understand my own feelings, but I could not in good faith profess something that I knew was impossible. The awkward moment passed when she realized that no declaration would be forthcoming. I hated myself for dashing her hopes, but I would rather disappoint her than placate her with a lie.

"What's our strategy?" she asked in a steady voice, and I felt proud of her for keeping a cool head.

"We'll play dumb at first. If it turns out she knows who you are or what you can do, I will stress my claim to you. She will no doubt try to take you away from me but, although we are not fully Bonded yet, my position as your Master is already strongly established, and will be even more so as soon as we can get my claim registered with the High Council. Sophie-Anne will have no choice but to negotiate an arrangement with me."

I had carefully observed her reaction to my use of the word 'master', but she had not even twitched.

"Basically, I'll have to shut up and let you do the talking, right?" she said.

Her facial expression was locked down and her tone was neutral, but I could feel her growing anger.

"Sookie, you knew all along what being mine would entail. As my pet, you have no standing in the Vampire world, and no voice. I cannot allow you to defend your interests in front of the Queen: not only you would not be heard but you would make me appear weak."

I was making a point of using the proper Vampire vocabulary to describe our relationship (pet, Master) instead of the euphemisms I had favoured in the past, in order to mentally prepare her for the royal Court.

"I'm not angry with you, Eric. I just… I wasn't prepared for things to move on quite so quickly. I'm not so naïve as to believe I can stay out of Vampire politics forever, but I want a chance at getting a proper education first."

I stepped up to her and cupped her head with my hands.

"And you shall have this opportunity, lover. I swear I will fight for your best interests. Also, keep in mind that we do not have all the facts yet: I may be reading too much into my Queen's summons."

Sookie gave me a sceptical glance as she took her evening's attire out of its garment bag. She had selected a silvery grey silk sleeveless pencil dress with a V cleavage with a subtle cowl effect. Her getup struck me at first as not formal enough, but I changed my mind as soon as she slid it on. The simplicity of the design was deceptive, as the cut of the garment was flawless and extremely flattering to Sookie's hourglass figure. The colour brought out her eyes and gave her an air of sophistication and maturity. She had accessorized the dress with a thin cornflower blue leather belt and a demure pair of pearl earrings. I watched as she grabbed a vanity case and walked towards the large mirror above the bathroom sink to brush her hair into a coiled bun and apply some mascara and lip-gloss. When she was done, she sat on the bed to put on a pair of three-inch patent stilettos in a colour matching the belt. She then stood up, performed a little twirl for my benefit and raised her eyebrow questioningly.

"You look absolutely stunning, lover," I declared, licking my lips.

She smiled and gave me a playful wink and a curtsy, and I had to will my fangs not to run out: as sexy as she looked, now wasn't the time for fooling around. I quickly put on yesterday's jeans and T-shirt (since my actual wardrobe was upstairs), grabbed the dirty sheets, and we made our way upstairs.

Paulette and Sookie's family were congregated in the kitchen, and were animatedly conversing while setting the table for dinner. There were exclamations of admiration as Sookie entered the room, but I wasted little time on greetings and quickly dashed to the master bedroom. I dumped the sheets in the hamper in the bathroom for Paulette to take care of, then changed into a black fitted business suit and a black silk shirt. As I was brushing my hair into a ponytail, my phone rang out.

I was extremely relieved to hear Cataliadies' voice and succinctly explained the situation to him. By sheer luck, he was in New Orleans so we made arrangements to meet on my way to Sophie-Anne's palace.

When I got back downstairs, I found Sookie seated at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of mushroom risotto. She leered at me as I leaned on the doorframe and I stared back with a smirk as I felt a fresh wave of lust through the bond. It did not escape my notice that her cousin Hadley was equally devouring me with her eyes, but I paid her no mind. Hadley was an attractive girl, shorter than Sookie but blessed with the same hourglass figure and fair colouring. Only three months ago, I would have contemplated seducing her, but a lot had changed in the meantime, and it was now extremely difficult for me to imagine myself being intimate with any woman besides my Sookie. Her grandmother interrupted our eye-fucking session.

"Eric, do you know when you'll be back from your audience with the Queen?" she inquired (I had explained the division of the United States territory into Vampire monarchies the previous evening).

"The audience shouldn't last more than an hour," I replied. "After that, we will escort Hadley, as well as Linda, if she wishes, back to the clinic and then take the plane to Shreveport."

Hadley, Adele and Linda consulted for a moment before it was agreed that Linda would book into the clinic for a full medical check-up. There was one matter I still needed to address. I requested a private word with Adele and she followed me to the drawing room.

"Adele," I began, one we were seated, "I must inform you that Sookie and I will be meeting with a lawyer in a short while. My intention is to have her sign a legal document that will tie her to me in the strongest terms. This document serves two purposes: in the human world, it will be equivalent to an employment contract; but in the Supernatural world, it will make me Sookie's official Master. Among other things, it will allow me to protect her, and by extension her whole family, to the best of my ability, and will greatly reduce the risk of her being taken away from me."

I had explained the nature of Vampire-human relationships last night, and I hoped that Adele understood why taking the step of declaring Sookie my 'property' was of paramount importance in order to ensure her safety. She thought for a minute then asked:

"Do you legally require my consent?"

"No. Sookie is old enough to sign an employment contract. As for the other aspect, the Supe world does not recognize the concept of minority when it comes to the 'ownership' of humans."

"In that case, this is a matter between Sookie and yourself. As far as I'm concerned, you have proven many times over that you have my granddaughter's best interests at heart. I will not stand in the way of whatever decision she might make."

I smiled at the older woman, genuinely touched by her show of trust. We walked back to the kitchen and I addressed my housekeeper.

"Paulette, I am leaving you in charge of my guests during my absence. I trust your wards should be enough protection but contact Amy immediately if you notice anything amiss. She will be contactable all through my audience with the Queen."

"Of course, sir," she nodded.

Sookie and I departed soon after, and once we were seated in the limo, I informed her that we were convening with Cataliades.

"Where are we meeting him?" she asked.

"At his office, right here in New Orleans. After you agreed to the principle of a 'declaration of ownership' back in June, I instructed Cataliades to draft the contract and to keep a copy of it in his New Orleans office. It is quite lucky for us that he has been so diligent."

"Indeed," she replied absentmindedly.

"Something on your mind, lover?" I inquired, worried that she might be having second thoughts.

She turned to look at me and said:

"It's not particularly relevant, really; it's just that you keep saying that you've never had a pet before…" she trailed off and I nodded once to confirm that her statement was correct.

"And Pam is your only child?"

I gave her another nod and her expression turned concerned.

"Didn't you get lonely all those years? I mean, you told me that Pam is roughly 200 years old, so that means that you were on your own for more than 800 years. How did you stand it?"

"I did get lonely," I replied, somewhat thrown off by her line of questioning, "but I bore loneliness better than most. Even as a Norseman, I was an individualist, and when Ocella found me, one of the aspects of my new condition that I came to value the most was the relative freedom Vampirism conferred. While, in the beginning, I did miss my family, I never regretted the stifling village life. My first two centuries were spent at the side of my Maker, and while he was miserable company, he was company nonetheless; then, when I struck out on my own, I lived at the edge of human society, never fully integrating in any community, but still maintaining a social life of sorts. Mingling with humans became increasingly easier as the centuries went by and, at some later points in my existence, I did live for stretches of several years in the same place."

I reached out to take her hand in mine before continuing:

"Shreveport is the longest I have ever stayed put in a single location and, now that I've found you, I have a very good reason to stay. Besides, with the Great Reveal looming, there soon won't be any need for Vampires to change identity and location every few years."

The car slowed down as I finished my sentence, signalling that we had arrived at Cataliades' practice. The building was unassuming at first glance, but I knew that these walls had heard some of the best-kept secrets in the world. Human repellent wards had been placed around the property and it took Sookie a lot of effort to fight the urge to turn away, but we eventually made our way to Cataliades' private office. His secretary waved us right in and the demon greeted us in his usual urbane way. I wasn't duped by his genial disposition for one second: Cataliades was arguably the best-connected man in the Supernatural world, and only a fool would make an enemy out of him. I already knew the contents of the contract but he ran us through it for Sookie's benefit, then all three of us added our signatures to the document. Sookie's relief mirrored my own, and she was considerably less tense as we made our way to the palace.

She held my hand all the way to Amun Tower, the ultra-modern glass and steel office building that served as Sophie-Anne's temporary palace until work was completed on the three blocks of prime New Orleans real-estate that were to host her permanent seat. As we reached our destination, I leaned towards Sookie to give her a deep kiss. She responded with her usual enthusiasm, but I broke our embrace for fear of ruffling her appearance (though I fully intended to do just that later tonight). Instead, I cupped her cheek and declared:

"Lover, I want you to remember that, whatever happens tonight, you are mine and I will do whatever it takes to protect you against those who would wish to harm you or tear us apart."

She nodded and I signalled Amy to open the doors. Sensing that Sookie's anxiety levels had once more risen, I groped her round ass as she exited the car to lighten the mood, causing her to jolt and laughingly call me a pervert. Her assessment wasn't greatly off the mark, especially since the way her dress was worshipping her body made it quite hard for me to keep my mind out of the gutter.

One of Sophie-Anne's guard, Rasul, a Vampire I had a history with, greeted us in the reception area and escorted us through the sophisticated rings of security checks. The building was bustling with activity, and we shared our elevator ride with a few Vampire employees. We ascended to the 16th and highest level of the tower, where the Queen's throne room was situated.

I immediately noticed that the floor was oddly deserted (on my previous visits, there had always been an assemblage of people waiting for an audience). The dark panelled walls gave the corridor leading to the throne room an oppressive feeling, and Sookie's apprehensiveness spiked as soon as she spotted Sigebert and Wybert, Sophie-Anne's dim but ultra loyal – and ultra lethal – children and personal bodyguards. The two mountain-men dwarfed even me, and were standing menacingly on each side of the heavy doors separating us from the Queen. They answered Rasul's greetings with brief grunts and, after letting us marinate for several minutes, they allowed us entrance. I gave Sookie's hand a reassuring squeeze before we stepped in.

The throne room was soberly decorated and sparely furnished, the view of the New Orleans business district afforded by the floor to ceiling widows being its most distinctive feature. I knew too well Sophie-Anne's extravagant tastes (which my tributes contributed to financing), so I assumed that she was reserving all the pomp and splendour for the throne room that was currently under construction on the other side of the city. The Queen herself was seated on a massive oak chair (which I guess could pass for a throne) placed on a slightly elevated platform, with her second-in-command, her child Andre, standing behind her. She was wearing a sky-blue pantsuit and was flawlessly groomed, as usual. Aside from Andre, there was only one other courtier present in the room: standing discreetly against a wall, was none other than William Compton, the spy Sophie-Anne had dispatched to my Area years before to follow up on the Were Arnold's lead.

With a great effort, I managed to conceal my shock as he gave me a cursory nod. His presence in the room, coupled with the uncharacteristically low number of people in attendance, concerned me: it was increasingly apparent that my suspicions had been correct, and that Sophie-Anne knew of Sookie's heritage. Looking as oily as ever, Compton stared greedily at Sookie as we approached the Queen and bowed in respect. To be fair, all the Vampires in the rooms were eyeing my Sookie with unbridled lust: her physical appearance coupled with her exotic scent made her perfect Vampire bait, which caused me to reconsider the wisdom of her choice of outfit.

After raking her eyes over Sookie's body, Sophie-Anne declared:

"Well, Sheriff, I admit I was surprised when I first learned that you had taken a pet; but now that I have seen her, I can hardly question your motivation."

"Thank you, your Majesty," I replied.

Sophie-Anne observed Sookie, who had wisely adopted a self-effacing demeanour, for a moment longer before turning her attention to me.

"She does not seem to be under any influence. Do you not glamour your pet, Sheriff?"

I cursed internally: I had hoped to hide Sookie's imperviousness to glamour, but now that the Queen had brought the subject up, I had no choice but to come clean.

"Sookie cannot be glamoured, your Majesty. She is aware of our world and is perfectly trustworthy."

"Really? How interesting…" she trailed off.

Her eyes became slightly unfocused as she peered at Sookie, and I could tell she was running dozens of different scenario in her head.

"How can you be certain of her reliability?" she finally inquired.

"I have fed her my blood, so I can sense any deceit coming from her. Besides, she knows what would befall her family if she ever chose to reveal sensitive information about our world."

"Her family? Do you mean the brother, grandmother, aunt and cousin currently staying at your house in town?" she remarked nonchalantly.

I felt Sookie's alarm though the bond, and I internally scolded myself for not having better prepared her for the Queen's mental games.

"Your majesty is well informed," I observed in a neutral tone. "Indeed, I have arranged for my pet to enjoy a family reunion of sorts."

"How generous of you, Sheriff," she said with barely concealed sarcasm. "Who would have thought you were such a tender-hearted man?"

"A contented pet tends to be better company," I replied with a shrug.

"Indeed, Sheriff; yet I question how much of Miss Stackhouse's company you are truly enjoying, as it is plain to the nose that she is still a virgin. Considering your well-documented sexual appetites, I cannot help but wondering what could possibly motivate you to claim a human you have no interest in fucking."

Sophie-Anne was flagrantly fishing for information, and while I was more or less certain that she already knew what Sookie was, I had no intention of making any of this easy for her.

"Virgin blood is a rare delicacy and I wish to enjoy my pet's pure flavour for now."

"But there are virgins the world over, Northman, why this one in particular?"

"Few are quite as beautiful and delectable as my pet."

I was getting tired of Sophie-Anne's tactics, which were disrespectful towards Sookie, and decided to let her know as much.

"As interesting as this conversation is, I do not believe you have summoned me just to quiz me about my eating and fucking habits. Am I wrong?"

She gave me a fake smile that did not reach her eyes and declared:

"Actually, Sheriff, I did. The life of a monarch can get very dull at times, and I thank you for indulging my curiosity. Before you go, let's have a drink in your honour."

At her words, Andre zoomed to a side door and ushered in a human who was carrying a tray holding two wine glasses full of blood. The human brought the tray to Sophie-Anne first, then to me. As I reached for the glass, I sensed a strong wave of negativity through the bond. I glanced at Sookie but her face was a mask. My slight hesitation did not escape Sophie-Anne's notice.

"Is there a problem, Sheriff?"

"Not at all, your Majesty," I replied, seizing my glass.

Sophie-Anne's facial countenance was mostly impassive, but I did discern an undercurrent of excitement. I glanced at Andre and Compton, and both were straining to conceal their extreme interest in the scene that was unfolding before their eyes. My internal alarm bells immediately rang: all three of them seemed far too eager. They were obviously expecting something to happen, and this told me that Sookie and I had walked right into a trap intended to force Sookie to expose her telepathy. In all likelihood, the human waiter had been manipulated into believing that the blood he was serving was somehow tainted. Sookie must have picked up on that and was attempting to warn me of the danger. I had no mean of communicating with her, as the bond was one-sided for now, and Sophie-Anne obviously knew it and was using that fact against me.

With a smirk, she lifted her glass and toasted:

"To the delights of human companionship."

As I brought the glass to my lips, the bond positively drummed with Sookie's panic. She sent wave after wave of negativity, which I studiously ignored. As the rim of the glass made contact with my lips, Sookie suddenly blurted:

"Stop! Please, don't drink that!"

I glared at her in hope of silencing her before she incriminated herself further.

"Be silent, pet!" I hissed.

"Actually, Sheriff, I am very interested in hearing your pet's objections," Sophie-Anne interjected in a syrupy voice. "Miss Stackhouse, explain yourself."

"I… err… I ask your Majesty to please allow me to feed my Master with my own blood," she appealed. "I wish to provide for all his needs."

Sophie-Anne's looked unimpressed by Sookie's explanation.

"Sheriff, you should teach your pet proper protocol. Now, let's drink before the blood grows cold."

"I apologize for my pet's behaviour, this will not happen again."

I gave Sookie a glacial look that made her genuinely cower. Through the bond I felt her distress, and I hated having to put her through this. Sophie-Anne once more raised her glass, but before she or I could take a gulp, Sookie interrupted again:

"Eric, stop! Your cup has been spiked with Elf blood!" she turned towards Sophie-Anne. "Yours too, your Majesty."

Sophie-Anne's face broke into a triumphant smirk and she eyed Sookie with redoubled greed. She deliberately lifted her glass and downed the contents in one gulp, then she leaned forward to ask:

"And how could you possibly know that, Miss Stackhouse?"

Sookie gaped helplessly from me to Sophie-Anne, as she caught on to the fact that the whole thing had been a set-up. The Queen tore her eyes away from my Sookie to stare at me.

"Well, Sheriff, when were you planning on informing me that you had found a telepath in _my_ Kingdom?"

I briefly glanced at Sookie, who was staring at the floor with a dismayed expression on her face. The bond was all over the place, but I could not yet offer her any comfort.

"Forgive me for not being more forthcoming. I knew about my pet's ability but I intended to keep that information under wraps until my pet reached the human age of majority, for legal reasons. It was never my intention to hide her from you. Everything I have done, such as beginning to Bond with her, has been to secure her as an asset to the crown of Louisiana."

"It seems to me that you have worked to secure her as your _personal_ asset, Sheriff."

"Since I am loyal to you, my Queen, this still works out in your favour."

"Of course, it's very convenient, isn't it?" she spat. "Why should I believe anything you say?"

"Have I ever given you substantial reasons to doubt my loyalty, your Majesty?" I shot back.

She glared me for a few moments before declaring imperiously:

"I wish to speak to Miss Stackhouse for a moment; _alone_. Please go and wait outside."

The bond once more came to life, with sheer dread, this time.

"Your Majesty, I would rather not leave my pet's side."

"Enough, Sheriff! You have tested my patience to the limit! I would be well within my rights to strip you of your position for insubordination. Do not think for a minute that your little stunt will go unpunished. _Legal reasons_? Do you think me a fool, Northman? Leave now!"

I gritted my teeth, bit back the retort that was dancing on my tongue and bowed to my Queen. I was more glad than ever that I had anticipated her move and ensured that Sookie had been secured as my personal asset earlier this evening. Cataliades was most likely submitting my 'declaration of ownership' to the High Council as we spoke. I had no doubt that Sophie-Anne would attempt to sway Sookie away from me, either by coercing her (mentioning her family had been for her benefit more than mine) or by making the kind of offer very few humans would refuse. Sadly for her, Sookie was already out of her reach.

As I was making my way out, Sophie-Anne called:

"Sheriff, why don't you wait in the conference room? There is someone there who has expressed the desire to meet you."

"As you wish," I replied and, with a last glance in Sookie's direction, I exited the room.

**SPOV**

Shit, shit, shit, shit!

The audience with the Queen had been a complete disaster, so far. I had stupidly fallen into a trap she had set up and put Eric's position as Sheriff in jeopardy.

I should have known something wasn't right when I detected the heavy fog of glamour within the waiter's brain, but I had been too panicked to think straight. I had believed I had stumbled upon a double assassination attempt (Elf blood is a crippling poison for Vampires) but I should have dug further instead of jumping to conclusions. Eric had tried to warn me and I knew he must be feeling both furious and disappointed with me right this instant. Thanks to my idiocy, I was alone in a room with a Vampire Queen, her psycho child and another Vampire who was leering at me like I was dinner. I felt on the verge on tears and I tried to remember Eric's words from earlier to give myself some courage.

_Whatever happens tonight, you are mine and I will do whatever it takes to protect you against those who would wish to harm you or tear us apart._

After the mess I had got us into, I hoped like hell that Eric could make good on his promise. I admit it had been shocking to watch him being ordered around like a schoolboy by this Queen who resembled a frail teenage girl playing dress-up. My boyfriend had explained the details of Vampire hierarchy to me years ago, but it only now hit home that he truly wasn't the biggest fish in the pond. The Queen's voice brought me out of my ruminations.

"Miss Stackhouse?"

She waited until I made eye contact to proceed:

"I can assure you that you have nothing to fear from me. I wanted to talk to you without the Sheriff in attendance in order to determine whether or not you are his willingly. Know that this room is warded for privacy, so he won't be able to hear a single word you utter within these walls."

Great, that meant he wouldn't be able to hear me scream, if they decided to just drain me. The Queen gave me a smile that was surely meant to be friendly, but chilled me to the bone.

"Please, Miss Stackhouse, do speak candidly. Are you happy being the Sheriff's pet?"

I swallowed and took a moment to get hold of my emotions. I had screwed up badly and now was the time to pull on my Big Girl pants and act smart.

"Yes, your Majesty. The Sheriff is a very good Master and I have willingly started to Bond with him. I also wish to confirm that, after I confessed my ability to him, he informed me I would be presented to the Court after I turned 18. That was always the plan."

"Indeed… Is the Sheriff fully supporting you, financially?"

"Yes he is. I want for nothing."

She didn't look particularly pleased with my answers but put on a pleasant air as she said:

"Miss Stackhouse, you must understand that whatever the Sheriff is offering you, I am in a position to offer _considerably_ more. I have means at my disposal that Northman could only dream about. For example, if you were to become the Court Telepath - after you turn 18, of course - you would be granted the Royal Protection, which means that every Vampire in my kingdom would be sworn to your protection. I am in an extraordinary position of privilege and influence, and you could not find a fairer and more powerful Master in all of Louisiana. You would be safe with me, and very well taken care of."

Yeah, so not happening.

"I am very grateful to your Majesty, but I am happy with my life in Shreveport. I'm about to start University and I am very… attached to the Sheriff. I do not which to uproot or drastically change my life, for now."

When I saw her cold expression, I hastened to add:

"I will of course be happy to offer my services to your Majesty, in the future, whenever my Master allows it."

I was laying it on thick, but it was of the greatest importance to impress on her the fact that, if she wanted the use of my telepathy, she would have to play nice with Eric. Her eyes narrowed slightly and I soon felt the telltale bubbling in my head: despite what Eric had told her, she was attempting to glamour me. I just stared back at her with a blank look on my face and the sensation stopped after a few seconds.

As if nothing had happened, she declared seamlessly:

"I wish you would take the time to think about my offer, Miss Stackhouse. Many things might change over the next few months. The Sheriff is a man known for his roving eye, and you might not feel as strongly for him as you do now once he has found a new shiny toy to play with. In the meantime, I wish to introduce you to one of my loyal subjects. Mr. Compton?"

The leering Vampire, who had been mute up until now, made his way towards me. He was shorter than me in my heels, and had handsome, if slightly bland, features. His hair was as dark as his eyes, and the contrast with his pallid skin was striking. I shuddered when he took hold of my hand to place a kiss on my fingers. For some reason, Eric's coldness had never bothered me, but Compton's touch was sending chills through my spine."

"Miss Stackhouse, it is an honor and a pleasure to meet you. My name is Bill Compton, but I insist you call me Bill. May I call you Sookie?"

He had not yet released my hand and was being overtly obsequious. His 'southern gentleman' act was belied by the lewd way he was ogling me. I hadn't known him for five minutes and I already didn't trust him as far as I could throw him.

"Hum, excuse me Mr. Compton, but who are you, exactly?"

"Please Sookie, call me Bill. I am the ancestor of your neighbor, Mr. Compton of Bon Temps. Like you, I am a born and bred southerner, and her Majesty, in her infinite wisdom, thought you might benefit from the protection and friendship of someone who understands and appreciates your roots. I do hope to show you that not all Vampires are as… crude and ill-bred as Eric Northman."

I wrenched my hand away from the creep's grasp and scowled at him.

"Actually, Mr. Compton, _Sheriff_ Northman was a Prince among his people. You really can't get better-bred than that."

Turning to the Queen, who looked surprised by my apparent hostility towards Compton (unlike Andre, who was sniggering behind her), I asked:

"I'm sorry your Majesty, but I do not understand. I am already under the protection of my Master. Why would I need anything from Mr. Compton?"

"I thought you might have enjoyed his company, given your similar backgrounds. However, I can see I have been mistaken. Mr. Compton, you are dismissed."

The creep was visibly outraged and looked as if he might rebel for a second, but he eventually left the room after giving me a hostile glare. When he was gone, I spoke up:

"Please forgive me for asking, your Majesty, but how did you know about my telepathy?"

She considered me for a minute, and I briefly thought she might ignore my question, but then she said:

"Your cousin Hadley volunteered the information."

I gaped in shock. _Hadley_? How was it even possible? As far as I could tell, she hadn't even been aware the existence of Vampires before I clued her in.

"But how…" I began.

"The how is irrelevant," the Queen cut in, waving a hand dismissively. "What matters is that you have a friend and ally in me, and that, if you ever wish to leave Sheriff Northman's side, I will help you accomplish this. I insist you think carefully about my proposition and, in the meantime, do not hesitate to come to me whenever you need anything."

I thanked her profusely, knowing full well that I would never take her up on her offer, and I was dismissed. I breathed a sigh of relief as soon as I had exited the throne room - doing my best to ignore the terrifying bruisers standing guard outside the doors - and immediately set out to search for my boyfriend. I had so much to tell him, especially about Hadley's betrayal, which still made absolutely no sense to me. I threw out my mental net and found his distinctive 'blank' in a room opposite the elevators. He was with another Vampire, who I hoped wasn't Compton (that guy was beyond creepy).

I rushed down the corridor and knocked on the paneled doors.

"Come in, lover," came Eric's voice.

I didn't wait to be told twice and entered the room. Eric was seated at a conference table next to an Asian Vampire, who was dressed in a midnight blue traditional Chinese suit, the kind with a Mandarin collar. He had short wavy hair, his face was almost pretty, all delicate bones and soulful eyes, and he exuded an aura of elegance and sophistication. For some reason, he felt familiar, even though I was positive I had never met him in my life. I was so lost in my observation of the charismatic Vampire that it took me a minute to notice that Eric had extended his hand and was gesturing for me to come to him.

I happily granted his request and went to sit on his lap. I circled my arms around his shoulders, closed my eyes and rested my head against his neck. The past half-hour had been one of the most nerve-racking of my life, and I really needed to lose myself in my boyfriend's embrace for now. I wasn't sure if it was completely appropriate to be so demonstrative in front of another Vampire, but Eric made no move to discourage my display of affection. Instead, he wrapped his arms around my waist and placed a kiss on the top of my head.

After a couple of minutes, he gently straightened me up and said:

"Lover, I want you to meet my blood brother, Kato. Kato, this is my pet Sookie."

Wow! I did not expect that at all. I didn't even know Eric had 'brothers', even though I suppose it was naïve of me to assume that he was Ocella's only child. I shifted on Eric's lap to face Kato, and gave him a polite nod.

"Nice to meet you, sir."

Kato gave me an amused smirk and surprised me by bowing his head to me, much deeper than a vampire would usually do.

"So you are the rare creature who has managed to tame my brother? I never thought I would see the day when the mighty Viking would allow himself to be cuddled and petted like a big cat."

His voice was beautiful: clear and smooth, more British than American, with only a hint of an Asian accent, and his elocution singled him out as an educated man. I glanced at Eric, a bit worried at how he would react to Kato's playful taunts, but he seemed to be taking the remarks good-naturedly. He rose from his seat, taking me with him, and addressed his 'brother':

"If you'll excuse me, brother, my lover and I have more petting and cuddling to do; the kind that is best done in private. I will be seeing you."

"Very well, brother," Kato nodded.

He then turned his penetrating gaze to me and said:

"Sookie, I look forward to seeing more of you. Hopefully, my brother will not be too jealous of your company."

"Hum, OK, sure," I replied, not quite certain how to deal with him.

Kato actually seemed nice and normal, which was odd, especially after dealing with the creepiness of the Queen and her lackeys. I waited until Eric and I were back in the limo to speak.

"Eric, I'm so sorry!" I blurted out as soon as the doors were closed.

"No, lover, it is I who am sorry. I should have put an end to Sophie-Anne's little game as soon as it became apparent that she was aware of your telepathy. It would have spared you some stressful moments. I let my hubris prevail over your comfort, and for that I apologize."

"You're not mad at me?" I asked incredulously.

"Why would I be?"

"Well, I screwed up. You might even lose your position as Sheriff because of me. God, it's such a mess!"

Eric wrapped an arm around my shoulders and said:

"Sophie-Anne will not make good on her threats. She was speaking out of anger but she will soon cool down and realize that she cannot afford to alienate me: I am her best Sheriff, her best warrior and I am in the process of Bonding with her most valuable asset. Do not worry, lover, my position is secure."

I let out a deep breath and scooted closer to him on the banquette.

"What did you discuss after I left?" he asked.

I recounted all that had occurred after his departure, making sure to stress my utter disgust with Compton in my account, to Eric's amusement.

"Hadley was the leak?" he remarked with a frown, after I had finished my tale. "That is surprising."

"I know! I mean, she knew about, or at the very least suspected, my telepathy because she was around when I was very young, but I don't understand who she would have discussed this with."

"She must have confided in someone at the clinic: it is full of Supes and any of them would have happily sold the intel to Sophie-Anne for a finder fee, since a telepath is a very rare commodity. We will need to get to the bottom of this when we get home."

"OK. I'm going to give Hadley the chance to explain herself," I promised. "Speaking of family, you seemed pretty chummy with your brother."

"Chummy is not the term I would use to describe Kato's and my relationship," Eric replied soberly. "We have been maintaining a friendship of sorts, but I never allow myself to forget that he is a very dangerous Vampire: devious, manipulative, and very powerful. We have a strong dose of respect for each other, and of course we are linked by blood and common experiences, but we are not exactly 'buddies'."

"Oh. I didn't get that impression at all. He seemed surprisingly nice and charming. I guess appearances are deceiving."

"They most definitely are when it comes to Kato. As a human, he was a powerful shaman and he retained much of his power when he became a Vampire. He is a master of deceit, and one has to be extremely vigilant around him."

"Tell me how he came to be your brother," I demanded.

"Kato originally came from Japan, but Ocella and I first met him at the imperial court of China in the 12th century, where he held the position of Imperial Astrologer. I have no idea how a foreigner ever came to earn such a prestigious post, but his renown was considerable. One night, Ocella and I gained access to the Imperial Palace and witnessed him perform impressive feats of transfiguration and divination, and Ocella resolved to make him his newest child. You see, my Maker is not unlike Sophie-Anne in that he is a collector of rare treasures, or, in his case, of talented children. He turned me because he coveted my battle skills, and he turned Kato for his Magic. It soon became very clear that Kato was an unusual Vampire: in addition to retaining most of his magical powers, his Vampire gift turned out to be the ability to manipulate the Bond. He hid this from our Maker, but I discovered his secret one night when I caught him doing something that went strictly against one of Ocella's commands. Our Maker would have ended him, had he discovered Kato's gift, but I kept his secret and that earned me his trust and gratitude."

"I thought all Vampires were compelled to obey their Maker's command," I piped up.

"Indeed, lover, this is one of the fundamental rules of Vampirism. Kato is the only Vampire I have ever met or heard of who could disregard this natural law. Anyway, our Maker became completely enchanted with his new child, and his infatuation with Kato was one of the reasons why he released me. I never actually got to see the full extent of Kato's powers as I left when he was still a fledging, barely 20 years of age, but we have crossed paths over the centuries. I can hardly tell you what he really does with his immortality, as he is extremely secretive, and I still don't fully know what he is capable of, as very few people who get to experience the brunt of his Magic live to tell the tale. What I do know, however, is that he is feared and respected throughout the world."

"Did he tell you why he was at the palace?"

"He has just arrived in the States and, like all Supe visitors, he had to pay his respects to the Queen. He told me he would be coming to Shreveport for a few days, later in the week. He apparently has some business to attend to in Louisiana, but he was extremely vague on the details, which isn't particularly surprising. I will be keeping an eye on him, although he's very hard to track."

"He sounds pretty fascinating," I observed.

"Yes, I suppose. Fascinating the way a black mamba snake is fascinating: in both cases, it is better not to come too close."

"You think he would harm you?"

"I doubt it, but he is rather unpredictable. We have an odd relationship, to say the least, but I am one of the few Vampires whose company he actually seeks out, and I suppose that means something."

I nodded and then became aware that the car had been stationary for a while. We made our way into the house to find that all the luggage had been packed and that we were ready to go. While Eric finalized the details, I took Hadley aside to question her.

As I discovered, she had indeed mentioned in passing to a nurse she had befriended during her stay at the Clinic that she had a weird cousin who was 'psychic'. I probed her mind as she spoke and discovered that, when she had balked at putting forward more details, the nurse had arranged for her to be glamoured into revealing the exact nature of my abilities, as well as my identity. Eric had been right: my cousin's trust had been abused and a greedy Supe had sold me out to the Queen. At the very least, I had the consolation of knowing I hadn't been thrown to the wolves by my own blood (at least, not purposely). When I reported my findings to Eric, he talked me into allowing him to glamour all the information about my family's Fairy heritage out of Linda and Hadley's head. This was sensitive knowledge the Queen did not possess, and Eric wanted to keep it that way.

Soon after, Hadley and Linda were dropped off to the Clinic and Eric, Jason, Gran and I flew back to Shreveport. It was quite late when we touched down so Gran agreed to stay at Jas' place for the night. Eric and I had to give up on our plans for 'petting and cuddles' but he promised me a make-out session the next evening, and gave me quite a goodnight kiss. Back in the apartment, I relinquished my bed to Gran and went to sleep on the living room sofa.

Before falling asleep, I reflected on the events of the last two days. I had reconnected with a long lost relative only to learn I would soon lose another; I had reached another benchmark in my physical relationship with Eric, but we had encountered an emotional stumbling block with his unwillingness (or inability) to say 'I love you'; I had met Eric's 'family'; I had signed away my independence to my boyfriend and unwittingly 'outed' myself to the Queen of Louisiana, who was devising plans to acquire me.

In less than 48 hours, my life had become exponentially more complicated, and I had a feeling it would not be getting easier in the future.

* * *

**A/N**: My Beta informs me that the name Kato is strongly associated to Peter Sellers and the _Pink Panther_. I have personally never seen any _Pink Panther_ movie so I selected this name purely because it sounded beautiful to me.

Thank you for reading. Next chapter **The Undergraduate** will be posted next week.


	17. The Undergraduate Part I

**A/N**: Dear readers, I apologize for not posting anything last week. I hope this extra-long update will make-up for my failure to stick to the schedule.

This is another chapter I've had to cut in half because it was growing too large. It seems I'm incapable of conciseness. There is lots of dialogue in here, which I'm sure many of you will be speed-reading through, but some details are important for the rest of the story: I'm dropping several hints that I hope you will pick up.

The title of this chapter isn't really a reference to Sookie's education (even though University year is looming and will be dealt with very soon) but more of a reminder that Sookie is still a 'freshman' when it comes to navigating the troubled waters of the Supe world, where everybody seems to have a PhD in deceit.

Lastly, this fic reached and crossed the 900 reviews line and I am **so **happy and humbled. Thank you so much to all who have taken the time to post a comment. Even the shortest message of appreciation makes my day, and I take your comments very seriously. Many remarks have helped me tweak, and at times change, the plot (for example, Hadley wasn't supposed to be a part of this story until a reviewer asked about her and I decided to include her).

Please keep your thoughts coming, I do love to hear them, and if you're currently sitting exams, the best of luck to you.

* * *

_Sweet dreams are made of this, _  
_ Who am I to disagree?_  
_ I travel the world,_  
_ And the seven seas,_  
_ Everybody's looking for something._

_ Some of them want to use you,_  
_ Some of them want to get used by you,_  
_ Some of them want to abuse you,_  
_ Some of them want to be abused._

_- Sweet Dreams_ by Eurythmics

**Chapter 17 – THE UNDERGRADUATE Part I**

**SPOV**

The next day, I drove back to Bon Temps with Gran in tow. Amy was following close behind in her own car. Last night, Eric had informed me that he would be looking into getting me extra protection now that my circumstances had grown exponentially more complex… and dangerous. From what he had told me, Sophie-Anne was the bragging type, so it would only be a matter of time before she 'accidentally' let slip to a fellow monarch that she had had the good fortune to unearth a telepath in her Queendom. With Niall still hot on my case, I most definitely could do without that kind of notoriety, but I had no control over the Queen's chatterbox tendencies.

I also had no control over Jason's fool mood. My brother was being a pain in the ass and we had a terse confrontation over breakfast when I stressed the importance of keeping Hadley and Linda in the dark over our Fae heritage, now that Eric had glamoured the information out of them. Jason thought that I had behaved in a high-handed fashion by allowing my boyfriend to 'mess with their heads' and didn't want to be pressured to lie to them. I tried to explain that an omission wasn't strictly a lie, and I pointed out that these precautions had been taken to safeguard their safety as much as his and mine, but he was still cross with me when he left for work.

I understood the underlying cause of Jason's anger: he was hurt by the amount of secrets I had kept from him and, even though we had never really been close confidants, he felt betrayed. I was aware that I had been extremely lucky that Linda, Hadley and Gran had reacted so well to learning the truth about our family heritage and the double life I had been leading all these years. They would have been well within their rights to lash out at me, but they had instead been supportive and understanding. I hoped that, after a period of reflection, Jason would come to appreciate the difficulty of the choices I had had to make. And if not, I would have no other option but to ask Eric to glamour him too.

During the drive home, Gran quizzed me about my audience with the Queen (she'd been too tired to ask on the flight back yesterday) and I gave her an honest – if heavily edited - account. I had expected her be unnerved by my revelations, but she seemed surprisingly confident in Eric's ability to protect me from any harm. I wished I shared her optimism, but the confrontation with Sophie-Anne had left me anxious: I was no longer just valuable to Fairies, but now also to Vampires, and as strong and powerful as Eric was, there was only one of him, and my potential enemies were growing in number.

I resolved to banish these dark thoughts from my mind and enjoy my stay in Bon Temps. Eric had encouraged me to cool off for a few days and to enjoy a taste of the normal life, which I readily agreed to do. I had completed the screening of his employees, and I needed to grab as much time as I could with Scarlett: she would be leaving for California at the end of the week to study Marine Biology at UCLA. As delighted as I was for her, I would miss my best friend terribly (while I loved Tara, I was closest to Scarlett) and the sense of stability (and fun) she provided me with.

The day went by smoothly. Scarlett and Tara arrived in time for lunch and, after gorging on Gran's comfort food, we spent the afternoon catching up, gossiping, and chatting about the excitement of the upcoming academic year. Tara was the only one among us not going to College: she had found a job as a retail saleswoman at a mall in Clarice and was planning to learn the trade and start saving up for her dream boutique. I didn't think it pertinent to mention it just yet, but I'd already decided that, when her project was ready, I would lend her the money she required to jump-start her business so that she would not find herself grossly indebted to a bank.

The girls stayed for dinner and left soon after. About two hours after dark, I still hadn't heard from Eric so I went up to my room to grab my cell and call him. As I was bending over my desk to unplug my phone from its charger, I heard a great swoosh and immediately afterward felt two strong arms circling my waist. I straightened up and leaned back into the hard chest of my boyfriend. He began nipping at my shoulder, his cool lips creating delicious sensations on the delicate skin.

"Oh yes, please don't stop," I hummed. "But Bill, we have to be careful, I think Eric is starting to suspect something."

Eric had stiffened when he had heard me call him Bill and was now softly growling into the crook of my neck. I giggled as he slapped the side of my ass and called me a naughty little girl.

"Are you going to punish me?" I asked suggestively as I writhed against him.

"Lover, you seem to be operating under the assumption that I have unlimited amounts of self-control. You couldn't be more wrong. Keep teasing like that and you'll soon find yourself in a very compromising position. Literally."

I chuckled and twisted my neck to kiss the strong line of his jaw. His skin was smooth and smelled of his aftershave, a woody fragrance that mingled artfully with his natural scent. God, the man smelled _good_.

"So you keep saying, Viking; but I think it's time you make good on your threats," I teased.

Eric growled and spun me round in a flash, then grabbed my thighs and wrapped them around his waist before claiming my lips in a deep, hot kiss. My hands found his ass and I began grinding against his rapidly growing arousal. Our make-out session was interrupted by Gran, who shouted for me to come pick up a call from Hadley from downstairs. Eric groaned and gently let me down.

"Adele Hale Stackhouse: southern belle, formidable matriarch and cock-blocker extraordinaire," he lamented.

"She isn't that bad," I giggled.

"My blue balls and I beg to disagree, lover."

I gave his crotch a playful squeeze before making my way down stairs.

"The night is still young," I shot him over my shoulder.

I entered the living room with Eric hot on my trail and left him and Gran to their warm greetings. Their 'buddy-buddy' relationship was simultaneously bemusing and adorable.

I picked up the phone receiver from the coffee table and said Hadley's name. It was oddly comforting to hear her sweet voice, even though her news wasn't particularly good. Her mother had undergone a battery of tests that had confirmed Eric's diagnosis: her pancreatic cancer was indeed very advanced and a CT scan had revealed evidence of liver metastases. The prognosis was bleak: Linda had six months to live, tops. After consulting with her doctors, it had been agreed that she would be treated at the clinic as an outpatient. Thanks to the magical care she would have access to, she would be spared chemotherapy and the debilitation that usually resulted from such a heavy treatment. Both Hadley and I were glad that, at the very least, Linda's last months would be relatively pain-free and dignified.

Hadley herself was holding up quite well. She had attended her first psychotherapy session with one of the clinic's in-house therapists and was hopeful for her future. I asked her whether her evening-shift nurse (the one who had sold me out to the Queen) had made further inquires about me and wasn't totally surprised to hear that the woman in question had not showed up for work (she was probably currently enjoying a sunny holiday with her big fat pay-off). Hadley informed me that Gran had already started making plans to visit Linda in NOLA and was no doubt finessing the details with Eric right this instant. I said my goodbyes to my cousin and popped into the kitchen to check on my boyfriend and Gran, who I was starting to refer to as Harold and Maud in my head. As I had suspected, they were discussing travel arrangements so I elected to leave them be and went back up to my room.

As I crossed the threshold, I noticed for the first time the leather hard case propped on the wall right beneath the open window. I smiled to myself, knowing perfectly well what lay inside: the gorgeous guitar from my first date night with Eric (an exact copy of my ill-fated 16th birthday present). I had wondered what he'd done with it and was touched that he'd brought it all the way to Bon Temps. My guitar practice sessions had taken a back seat to my other concerns lately, so I was delighted to have the incentive to pick up my training once more. I also appreciated the symmetry: a year or so ago, I had smashed his offering in anger and almost given myself to another, and tonight I was happily welcoming the same gift a day after making a lifelong commitment to him.

As I was strumming the chords, Eric came to sit on the bed next to me. He silently observed me for a few minutes, a furtive smile playing on his lips, until I put the instrument back in its case and went on to straddle his lap. I had missed him, missed his touch, and while I knew we couldn't get properly 'reacquainted' with Gran under the roof, I was still determined to make the most of his visit. I let my hands trail down his rippling arms (he was wearing a black wife-beater that made his upper body look downright pornographic), drinking him in with barely contained lust and biting my lips to prevent myself from attacking choice parts of his exquisite body. Even with my healthy self-esteem, I still wondered what I had done to deserve this 1,000-year-old Adonis. I leaned forward and purred in his ear:

"Mine."

"Yes, yours, lover," he breathed back.

I resisted the urge to tell him how much I loved him (I wasn't in a mood for another evasive response) and instead asked him why he had come in the first place.

"Do I need a reason for wanting to spend some time with my lover?" he replied while placing butterfly kisses over my collarbone.

I squirmed as the soft touch of his lips resonated all the way down to my sex. Who knew there was a nervous pathway directly linking the shoulder and groin areas? I could feel myself getting wet and Eric certainly noticed as I heard him take a couple of discreet sniffs.

"You smell especially mouth-watering tonight, lover," he observed in a low voice. "You will be bleeding very soon, I can tell."

"Eric, don't do that!" I groaned. "You know it embarrasses me."

Eric had developed a weird obsession with my menstruation. Each time I had had my period in the last three months, he had acted very peculiarly around me, invading my personal space with increased frequency and leering at me with more intensity than was customary. I knew that both his culture and his nature made him very relaxed, if not downright enthusiastic, about the idea of me leaking blood but the whole thing made me rather queasy. It wasn't so much the bodily function in itself that bothered me (even though I certainly didn't find it cause for celebration) but the fact that I could discern from his behavior and a few comments he had dropped off-handedly that he thought it a pity to let all that good 'tasty' blood go to waste. Yuck! There really were aspects of dating a Vampire that I would never get used to.

Eric straightened up and shrugged his shoulders in response to my scolding.

"I do not understand your uneasiness, lover. Your monthly bleeding is a natural and beautiful thing. And it makes you smell like heaven."

"Hum, OK! Moving on, right now!" I urged.

"Fine, lover," he relented with a roll of his eyes. "To answer your previous question, the reason I came all the way here, apart from the lure of your entertaining and _fragrant_ company," he wiggled his eyebrows, "was to inform you that I'm hiring a witch to ward your house and that of your brother. Paulette is already taking care of Hadley's and Linda's home in New Orleans. I should have done that a long time ago but it is especially warranted now that you have attracted the attention of Sophie-Anne… and of the Council."

"God, once again I'm so sorry for messing up so badly," I grovelled.

"Hush, lover, you have nothing to apologize for. Sophie-Anne would have compelled you to reveal your nature one way or another. We lost control of the situation as soon as your cousin blabbed about your ability."

"Don't be put too much blame on Hadley," I pleaded. "She's a bit naïve, but she means well, and the nurse took advantage of her ignorance of the Supe world."

"I've already asked the management to assign another nurse to your cousin, but I still fully intend to pay a 'courtesy' visit to the one we owe our new state of affairs to. I always pay my debts," he declared ominously.

"Well, good luck with that," I scoffed. "She hasn't shown up for work, and I imagine she's holed up in a luxury resort in Mexico right now, drinking cocktails next to a private pool. What's the going rate for discovering a telepath these days?" I remarked bitterly.

Eric frowned.

"This is odd. I shall investigate her whereabouts."

There was something feral about the glint in his eyes so I hastened to say:

"Eric, what is done is done. There is no point hunting the bitch down. She can't hurt us anymore."

He gave me a level look and stated:

"I will do what is necessary to reaffirm my authority. The Supernatural community must never forget that there is a hefty price attached to hurting my interests."

"But won't she be shielded by the Queen?" I argued.

"I doubt that," he scoffed. "Sophie-Anne rewards informants with money, not with protection. That is a lesson I intend to teach our dear little friend."

His stare was determined and I knew better than to try to talk him out of his vendetta. As tender and loving as he was with me, there was another aspect of Eric's persona - the bloodthirsty predator - that was as much part of him as the devoted guardian that had watched over me for more than a decade. I claimed to love him – and I did – and that meant loving all of him, even the more unsavory facets of his personality. Beside, I was well aware that his ruthlessness was part of what was keeping me safe from other Vampires, and from Niall as well, at least for now.

Eric and I spent the next two hours casually conversing. He had lain across my bed and I was sprawled over him, cuddling snugly against his torso, my head resting against his upper chest. As much as I loved the physical side of our relationship, it felt good to just talk, to reaffirm that there was more than just lust between us and that we actually had things to say to each other that didn't involve sexual innuendos or political intrigue.

Eric wanted to take a trip to New York with me this winter, as he insisted the city was most beautiful in the snow. This led us to talk about his travels and the other places he wanted to visit or re-visit with me. He told me a bit more about his later years with Ocella, something he was usually mum about, and I even got a few interesting anecdotes about Kato out of him. I told him of my hopes for the future, and how excited I was to be starting University in three weeks.

As the conversation turned to my studies, Eric asked me to reconsider moving into a dorm, and I realized that we had never actually broached the subject of my living arrangements. Eric wanted me to move permanently to Jason's place, for security purpose, and when I refused, explaining that the apartment was too far away from campus, he offered to get me my own place five minutes away from LSU.

Still, I wouldn't budge.

The truth was that I found the prospect of living in a dorm exciting. I wanted the full College experience, and isolating myself from the rest of the student body by staying off-campus would rob me of one of the most iconic aspects of student life. I'd been told life-long friendships were made while sharing communal showers and queuing for the Laundromat, and I didn't want to be the odd one out.

Finally, after haggling for half an hour, we reached a compromise: whenever I had a late start, I would sleep in an apartment close to LSU that Eric would be readying for me, but when my classes started early, I would stay on campus. Eric left soon after, but not before giving me a long, _long_, kiss. I certainly needed it, as it would be two days before I saw him again. Apparently, he had made some modifications at _Dragon House_ that directly concerned me, but he refused to give me even a hint.

The next day, I read in the morning (I had acquired the compulsory reading list attached to my course and was making a head-start) then went sunbathing before lunch to take advantage of the still mild sunrays. As I was lying in the grass in my red bikini, I felt a presence near to me. I opened my eyes and propped myself on my elbows.

My mystery visitor had his back to the sun so I had to screen my eyes with my hand as I attempted to make him out (it was a man, I could tell as much). Before my sight could adjust, a large shape jumped right between the stranger and me, and I heard a menacing growl. It took me only an instant to realize that the newcomer was Amy, in her wolf form. Things looked like they could get out of control in a eyeblink so I quickly jumped to my feet to assess the situation.

By then, I could see the stranger clearly, and my breath was taken away as I caught my first glimpse of his face.

This man was _stunning_. Eric-levels of stunning. Actually, as blasphemous at it might sound, he may actually be even better looking than my Vampire. He was a few inches taller than me and lean of build, with a full head of glossy black hair, and rich brown eyes. His chiseled facial features were flawless in their regularity but what immediately drew the eye was his sensuous bottom lip.

I knew I was gaping like an idiot but I got hold of myself long enough to drop the outer layer of my shields to brush at his mind. What I found (or rather, didn't find) there snapped me out of my daze at once: the man was a Fairy.

I was grateful for Amy, who was still growling and maintaining an aggressive stance. She was not yet attacking, most likely waiting for the stranger to make a move, but he was standing still, and eyed my bodyguard warily.

"Who are you and what are you doing on my property?" I demanded in a voiced that I hoped sounded steely.

The Fairy slowly lifted his gaze from Amy, and looked at me. His brown eyes were velour-soft and mesmerizing, and I also noticed the little stubble covering his chin and jaw, giving a rough edge to his otherwise impeccably glamorous appearance. I had learned from my time in Faerun that, as my abductor Preston had boasted, all Fairies were indeed attractive, but this one stood out even by Fae standards of beauty.

"I'm Claude, Claudine's brother," he said in a smooth voice. "Tell your wolf to stand down."

"I will do no such thing! What proof do I have you are who you claim to be? Beside, even if you're telling the truth, Claudine isn't such a hot recommendation these days," I shot back.

The Fairy gave me a puzzled look, as if questioning his word was the oddest thing in the world.

"Of course I am who I say I am," he declared defensively. "Why would I lie?"

"Oh, yes, a lying Fairy; that would be a sight to behold," I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

The Fairy huffed his annoyance.

"Hell! This is why I hate getting mixed-up with other people's business," he said angrily. "I have a letter from my sister, which she asked me to deliver. Just take it and I'll be on my way, and it won't be a second too soon!"

He extended his left hand, which I now noticed was clutching an envelope, but instantly jerked his arm back when Amy's growl grew louder and she started snapping her jaws inches from his hand. He took a step back with a curse and scowled at the Were.

"I'll tell Amy to back down if you answer a few questions first," I declared.

He gave me a look of utter boredom and raised an eyebrow as if to say: "I'm waiting'.

"What is the surname of your family? How old are you and your twin? How long have you been living in Clarice? What is Claudine's dream job?"

"My surname is Crane, like my mother, but my father's a Brigant," he replied in a monotonous voice. "My _triplets_ and I are somewhere over 200 years old, but it's difficult to give a precise number because human and Fae time moves differently. I've been working at the strip-club Hooligans in _Monroe_ for the past six months. Claudine wants to become an Angel. Are we done?"

The Fairy had successfully evaded my trick questions, but then any well-trained imposter would have known such basic information. His last answer, however, convinced me that he was telling the truth: Claudine had only shared her ambitions with her triplets and me; she hadn't yet told Niall. I laid a hand on top of Amy's head and told her that it was OK. After a few seconds of hesitation, she scooted to my side, never taking her eyes off Claude. She plainly had no intention of leaving me alone with the Fairy, but at least she wasn't growling anymore.

Claude gingerly handed me the letter he had come to deliver and, as soon as I grabbed it, he turned to leave.

"Wait!" I called, and he shot me a look over his shoulder. "I'm sorry I had to take all these precautions, but I'm sure Claudine has explained to you my situation: I can't trust strange Fairies. I hope we're OK, now. I'm Sookie, nice to meet you."

I gave him an apologetic smile and extended my right hand. His expression never changed, he didn't even glance down at my offered hand and he didn't move an inch.

_Okay_.

"Could you please wait until I've opened the letter, if it's not too much trouble? I might have questions. Please?"

Claude let out the longest breath ever and pivoted around. He then proceeded to cross his arms over his chest and spit:

"Get a move on, then! I don't want to waste a second more than necessary in this hell-hole."

Prick. Any attraction I might have fleetingly felt towards him was rapidly dwindling. I mentally amended my earlier statement: Eric was _infinitely_ better-looking than this spoiled pretty-boy. I had been about to offer him some refreshment, but he now could crumble into dust before my eyes, for all I cared.

I looked down at the item he had given me. The envelope was Prussian blue and medium sized, and was bulging at the bottom. I walked toward the porch to sit down on the bench, Amy closely shadowing me and Claude following sullenly at a distance. Once settled, I delicately broke the seal and extracted the message. After glancing at the object accompanying the letter (a ring, by the look of it), I unfolded the crisp white sheet, and I began reading:

_My dearest cousin,_

_these past two weeks in Faerun have been some of the most miserable of my life. I have agonized over our estrangement, wondering how to win back your favour and show you how contrite I am over the error of my ways. _

_I know that you value actions over words, so I will not bore you any longer with my regrets. Just know that you are my dear beloved cousin and that I will not rest until all is well between us once again._

_You have asked me to perform a task for you, and I am actively working to bring you satisfaction. There isn't much I can say at the moment, but these are early days, and the mission is complex. _

_In the meantime, I beg you to please accept the gift accompanying this letter: it is but a small token of the immense affection I bear for you, my dearest cousin. _

_I love you with all of my heart. May the Goddess protect you always._

_Your Cousin,_

_Claudine_

_PS: please destroy this letter as soon as you have read it. It would greatly endanger my safety should it fall into the wrong hands._

I was quite emotional by the time I finished reading: Claudine's remorse was palpable and I now questioned whether I had judged her too harshly. She, like me, had been caught in the crossfire of Niall's insane ambitions, and however questionable her actions had been, who was I to judge her? Only yesterday I had lectured Jason about the difficulty of the choices I had had to make, yet I had been quick to rebuke Claudine without considering the complexity of _her_ position. I had myself experienced a small dose of my great-grandfather's particular brand of evil, and it had been a terrifying experience.

I put the letter aside and turned my attention toward the jewellery. I gently tipped the envelope over my palm and was left holding a silver ring set with a smooth oval stone about the size of my thumbnail. It didn't look like anything I'd ever seen: the gem's exterior was of a milky iridescence, but beneath the surface, it seemed to have a life of its own. Bursts of colored lights flashed at random intervals, like a mini firework display, bright greens, blues and pink hues that disappeared as fast as they materialized. I watched in fascination for several moments until I was rudely interrupted by Claude's impatient voice.

"Do you have a question or can I get the hell out of here?"

I lifted my gaze from the riveting object to glance at him. He was casually leaning against the porch railing, his face a mask of perfect ennui.

"It's so beautiful," I breathed reverently. "What is it?"

"It's Pallum," he curtly stated.

I waited for him to elaborate but when nothing else came, I proceeded to grill him. For a man so good-looking, he sure was devoid of any grace or charm. It was unclear whether his problem was laziness or a lack of manners, or maybe a healthy mix of both. After a laborious interrogation, I had gathered a few facts about the stone.

Pallum was a mineral only found in Faerun that had many magical properties. It was mostly used to fashion charmed jewelry that Fairies gave to one another, but it also played a central role in magical rituals. It was considered one of the three sacred elements of the Fae realm, alongside Fae Magic and Fae blood, and only those of Fae descent were allowed to possess it: trading Pallum to any other creature was a crime liable to a death sentence, making the ring I was holding hugely valuable.

Claudine's gift was charmed to react to the presence of Fairies with fully developed sparks. The bursts of colors I was witnessing were triggered by Claude, and would cease when he left. I certainly saw the benefit of possessing my own Fairy alarm, but I was concerned about the silver content of the band, considering I had a Vampire boyfriend I loved to get tactile with. Claude thankfully informed me that the ring had been fashioned out of platinum instead of the traditional silver Fairies favored, at Claudine's insistence.

My cousin was really coming through for me. She had shown genuine remorse, had given me a valuable tool in my on-going conflict with Niall and even had the thoughtfulness to consider my boyfriend's weaknesses when commissioning the ring. I was in a forgiving mood, so I resolved to end my feud with my Fairy Godmother.

"Are we done here?" Claude asked.

"Yes, but I have one last thing to ask of you. Could you please walk down the road for a while when you leave rather than immediately teleporting away? I would like to test the range of this thing."

Claude spun round with bad grace (and without a goodbye, I might add) and went on his way.

"Oh, and Claude?" I called.

He stopped in his tracks but didn't turn to face me.

"Please tell Claudine that I thank her and that the next time she wants to communicate with me, she can come herself."

Claude muttered something that sounded a lot like 'thank the Goddess' and departed. I was extremely impressed by the length of time it took for the colored bursts to die down. As Claude retreated, the flickers of light decreased in frequency, and even though he teleported away before they had fully faded, I surmised that the ring had a range of around half a mile. Now that the Fairy was gone, the stone looked exactly like mother of pearl. I slid it onto the middle finger of my left hand and tore Claudine's letter into tiny pieces before trashing the shreds of paper.

Gran's voice rang from the kitchen, announcing that lunch was ready, and I told her what had just happened over a delicious dish of jambalaya. Gran was cross with me for not having introduced her to Claude, even after I had impressed just how uncouth my cousin had been.

'Family is family', Gran said.

Still, she was pleased with my useful new gift, as there were very few things that could be used as protection against Fairies. She still kept an always fresh supply of lemon juice in her fridge, but the iron bars than once graced my bedroom windows had been taken off years ago. Eric was of course my best defense, but he was seldom available. On the positive side, Amy had proved her worth today, and I would make a point of singing her praises to my boyfriend as soon as I got hold of him.

In the afternoon, I practiced some scores on my guitar and helped Gran with her gardening. An hour after dusk, Eric called as Gran was teaching me how to play bridge on the kitchen table (maddening game, by the way), and I climbed the stairs to take the call in the privacy of my bedroom. We made some small talk (Eric was getting pretty good at phone manners) but I could sense that he was in a tense mood, and the reason for his irritation was soon revealed.

"Andre called, lover," he announced.

I loudly groaned.

"What did he want this time?"

"It seems Sophie-Anne is willing to leave you be for the duration of your studies, but she wants some assurances in regards to 'her' telepath."

"I'm not _her_ telepath, I'm _your_ telepath," I corrected.

"Yes, well, she still hasn't fully grasped that little detail. Anyway, it is in our interest to placate her for now, so I suggest we comply with her demands."

"Which are?"

"She wants a full demonstration. Andre is flying in tomorrow night with a contingent of Supernatural creatures. You will be expected to read or attempt to read them all. Sophie-Anne initially wanted this to happen in New Orleans, but I put my foot down. The reading session will take place at _Dragon House_ tomorrow night at 10 p.m. Since Adele is flying to New Orleans the same evening, I suggest we all meet at Jason's apartment after dusk, and go on from there."

"Fine. That's actually a pretty reasonable demand," I observed.

"There is something else..."

"Of course there is. Go ahead, tell me the bad news."

"She wants us to complete the Bond within a month."

I was momentarily stunned, as I was not expecting that at all. Eric's voice was completely neutral, so I couldn't tell how he was feeling about that particular request.

"Sookie?"

There was just a tinge of worry in his tone.

"Why is _everybody_ obsessed with our bond?" I huffed.

"Well, in Sophie-Anne's case, her motivations are crystal clear: she wants to secure her new asset by having her Bonded to a loyal subject. I actually suspect that if you and I hadn't started the process on our own, she would have demanded you Bond with herself… or with Andre."

"Ewww!"

"Yes," he chuckled. "You most definitely would not have enjoyed that."

There was a pregnant pause in the conversation, which I broke.

"So… what reply did you gave Andre?" I asked.

"I gave him a non-committal answer. How are _you_ feeling about that?" he replied, his tone still not giving anything away.

"You know the answer to that question already. My only concern is Niall… By the way, I received news from Claudine today."

I went on to bring him up to date about the morning's events. He was most intrigued by the ring and demanded I made sure to bring it with me when I came tomorrow night.

"What are we going to do about the Bond?" I pressed.

"I have commissioned Castaliades to make some discreet inquiries on my behalf to various Supernatural authorities, including Council members, and he is absolutely positive that there is nothing Niall can do to interfere with the Bond. Once it is completed, you will be definitely out of his sphere of influence, and even your status as Fae royalty would not provide him with any recourse, legal or otherwise. I am ever more convinced that his impromptu visit to my office was a reckless act of desperation."

"So, it's safe for us to Bond?"

"If that's what you want, then yes, I believe it is safe."

"That's what I want, Eric," I declared with conviction.

"I want this too, lover," he replied, and I could at last hear the smile in his voice.

I was grinning widely, pleased as a punch that the stars were finally aligning. We talked a few more minutes, both of us agreeing to disregard Andre's ultimatum to do things at our own pace, but the knowledge that we were both set on the same goal was incredibly gratifying. Eventually, the conversation wound down and we said our good-bye.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Eric. I love you."

"Goodnight, lover. My future Bonded. Have sweet dreams, starring a naked me, preferably."

"Do _you_ dream of my naked body?" I teased.

"I do not dream, lover; but I have an excellent memory."

I giggled as I put an end to the call. 'My future Bonded', he had called me. It still wasn't an 'I love you', but it was a step up from mere 'lover', I thought. I was laying on my bed, reflecting on the happy turn of events, when I heard Gran calling me from downstairs. I dashed to the ground floor to find her waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

"There is a gentleman wanting to see you, dear" she informed me.

The significant look she gave me raised my suspicions so I dropped my shields to scan the porch area: the mystery visitor was a Vampire! I knew it couldn't be Eric, firstly because I just got off the phone with him so I knew he was still in Shreveport, and secondly because Eric's 'void' felt denser to me than that of other Vampires, so I could have picked him out in a crowd. There were very few Vampires who knew where I lived, so I deduced that either Bill Compton or psycho Andre was standing behind the front door.

"He asked if he could come in," Gran added, "but I told him that it would be for you to decide."

I thanked her and then added a silent thankyou to God that the unknown Vampire hadn't just elected to glamour her in order to gain entrance into the house. I was still holding my cell phone and I made sure to let my thumb hover on the speed dial button (programmed to dial Eric's number, of course) in case the situation became hostile. I was relieved to feel Amy's presence on the porch as I walked towards the door. Judging from her brain patterns, she was in her wolf form; and while there was little a single Werewolf could do against a Vampire, I was happy to know I had back up.

I grabbed the doorknob and swung the door open, but instead of Bill or Andre, there stood:

"Kato?"

"Sookie," the Asian Vampire greeted me with a small bow of the head.

He was wearing the exact same outfit I remembered meeting him in and his honeyed and beautiful accented voice was just as seductive as I recalled.

While I was surprised to see him, I doubted I was in immediate danger, so I slid my phone in the front pocket of my jeans before stepping outside and gesturing for Kato to sit down on the bench next to me. Amy was eyeing the proceedings with interest but wisely made no outward sign of aggression. I lightly tapped the top of her head as I passed her to signal that everything was under control, and she quietly moved to rest at my feet, her head adorably propped on her front paws. I was not used to seeing her in her wolf form and it was quite hard not to forget that she was an actual real person. After the events of today, I was beginning to see her as this very large, very loyal and very cuddly pet (not that I'd tried to cuddle her… yet).

As I was brushing a strand of hair off my face, Kato caught sight of my Pallum ring. His eyes briefly widened but he made no comment. Once we were both settled, he spoke:

"It was wise of you not to invite me in."

"Why? Am I in danger?" I retorted with a raised eyebrow.

"Only a very foolish man would be so bold as to hurt my brother's pet in her own home," Kato replied with a small smile. "No, what I meant was that I haven't given you any reasons to trust me, and you smartly chose not to do so."

"Well, I still trust you enough to talk to you outside my home. I guess you get brownie points for not glamouring Gran."

"Ah, you would never have forgiven me such rudeness," he shrugged.

"Thanks anyway. So, might I know what you're doing here, and how you found me, for that matter?"

"Finding you was extremely easy. As a matter of fact, finding things, rare and precious things especially, is my job. Very little stays secret from me if I put my will to it. As for your other question, I am here to make the further acquaintance of one of the most fascinating young women I've had the pleasure of meeting in decades."

"Fascinating? That's high praise for someone you've been in the presence of for a grand total of five minutes," I remarked suspiciously.

Kato tented his fingers in a professorial way and gave me an amused smile.

"Such modesty," he gently mocked. "I have traveled this world and others, and I have seen wonders, sweet Sookie, but Fairy-Demon hybrids with the gift of telepathy do not abound, I can assure you. You most surely deserve to be called fascinating."

I froze as I heard his words. There were a very limited number of people who knew about my telepathy, even less who knew about my Fairy heritage and only one person who commonly referred to me as a hybrid. I felt a cold chill running down my spine.

"So you're Niall's special little envoy, aren't you?" I spat icily. "Tell me, what's the plan exactly? Kidnapping didn't work out so well the first time around, so I imagine there is a plan B?"

Kato had raised an eyebrow at the mention of my great-grandfather's name, but had otherwise remained calm in the face of my accusations.

"I do not work for Niall. At this point, I am working for myself," he serenely replied.

"I don't believe you. There is no way you could know as much as you do unless you were in cahoots with him."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong. Didn't Eric tell you what I am?"

Perplexed, and answered with a frown:

"You're his brother. What's that got to do with anything? I know Eric didn't spill any beans."

"No, no. What I am is a Shaman. To be precise, as a human I was a Shinto Shaman, but I have come to master many types of Magic over the centuries. More to the point, being a Master of Magic allows me to detect and correctly identify the Magic in others creatures. It took being in your presence for a mere minute for me to sense the Fae and Demon Magic coursing through your veins. Both are very feeble, almost negligible, yet their distinctive signatures were unmistakable. The Pallum ring you are sporting on your left hand was a further hint. As for your telepathy, it took only a well-directed conversation with the Queen of Louisiana to find out what had piqued her interest in you. She was especially willing to dish out the details of the stratagem she had used to get you to reveal yourself. The woman does love to brag."

I had to admit that his explanation made sense. Eric had warned me that Kato was a very powerful Wizard (or Shaman, whatever), but I still had my suspicions.

"You say you are working for yourself, _at this point_," I pointed out. "How do I know you weren't working for Niall until, say, five minutes ago?"

"Ah, yes. I must confess I did come to Louisiana for an assignment, but Niall was not the one to hire me, and I mean you no harm. My work is done and I am here in my leisure time."

"Really?" I said skeptically. "I just find it very convenient that you just happened to be at the Queen's Palace the very night she tricks me into confessing my telepathy. And as you said yourself, your job is to procure rare things, so it's all so _very_ coincidental, and …"

A thought hit me and I gasped.

"Oh my God! _You _were the Vampire who glamoured Hadley!" I shot at him accusingly.

"I was not," he asserted. "Sookie, please calm down and give me an opportunity to explain myself."

I waited for him to proceed, my facial features set in a tense mask. I never trusted Kato less than right this instant and was trying to think a way to discreetly contact Eric. Would he sense a distress call through the bond at this distance?

"First of all, I have no intention of hurting you," Kato insisted, raising his hands in an appeasing gesture. "I am a scholar and a dealer, not a thug. If someone wanted to brutalize you, I would not be the Vampire they would send for the job."

I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him in silence, not relaxing my stance.

"Now, you must understand that because of the nature of my trade, I must be very secretive. My employers expect extreme discretion, as well as efficiency, and I always provide both, which is why my services are so costly."

He paused to give Amy a sharp look.

"Order your wolf away if you wish me to proceed," he demanded.

I asked Amy to head back to the woods, and Kato waited until she had disappeared behind the tree line to proceed.

"I am going to breach confidentiality, something I am not in a habit of doing, because my actions have affected you, and also because of my self-confessed interest in you. However, what I am about to tell you will never go further, is it understood?"

He gave me a pointed look and I nodded once.

"I do not keep secrets from Eric, but otherwise, I swear I'll be mum."

"Very well. I came to Louisiana to deliver a special order for the Queen; a very rare and precious creature." He paused for effect. "An Elf."

Kato smiled deviously when I gasped in shock.

"What's so damn funny?" I grumbled. "You can't imagine what a world of trouble you've got me in… Wait a minute! Are you saying the glasses were _really_ spiked with Elf blood?"

"Eric's glass was, but the human waiter had been glamoured to believe that _both_ drinks had been tainted. And I am only smiling because I enjoy taking people by surprise. I can assure you, sweet Sookie, that I was not remotely amused to discover the use the Queen had made of my Elf. My brother could have been seriously harmed by the tainted blood."

"Oh my God," I murmured. "I though it had all been just an hoax, but she _really_ did attempt to poison Eric. What a bitch!"

"She did not wish to take any chances, and I suppose she was angry enough with Eric for hiding your talents that she thought nothing of endangering him."

I shook my head in a mixture of disbelief and outrage. Kato reached out to take my hand and I was so surprised by the unexpected gesture that I didn't immediately withdraw it. He began rubbing circles on my skin with his thumb and I suddenly felt more relaxed. A wave of calm and peacefulness washed over me, and I closed my eyes and I let it soothe me… until I became aware of how unnatural the sensation was.

"What are you doing?" I inquired, opening my eyes to stare at him.

"Ah, forgive me, sweet Sookie, but you were so tense. I could not resist bringing you some relief."

"How do you do that? Is it Magic?"

"Yes, I suppose it is," he replied. "Blood Magic, to be precise. You and I are both bonded to Eric, and thus to each other. I am using the bond to get you to calm down."

My eyes widened in wonder.

"Can Eric do that? Can he influence my emotions?"

"Not at this point, no. He won't be able to send you feelings until after the Bond is completed."

"Yet _you_ can," I said with narrowed eyes.

"I am a Shaman, it gives me a certain edge," he declared evasively.

"And you can manipulate blood bonds," I stated with authority as the light bulb went on in my head. "You can make the bond between us stronger, that's what you've been doing!"

Kato raised an eyebrow and gave me and odd look:

"Very few people know that. I am quite impressed that Eric thinks so highly of his pet that he would share my secret with you."

He expression was unreadable and for a second I was afraid that I had committed a serious error in judgment, but his face soon relaxed into a half-smile as he said:

"No matter: you know a few of my secrets, and I know a few of yours. Let's consider ourselves even."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and gently pulled my hand from his grasp. I never had considered the implications of Eric having siblings, and I wasn't fond of the idea that bonding with him meant bonding with his whole family. Now that I thought of it, it made sense: after all, both Kato and Eric had Ocella's blood running through their veins, and now I had Eric's blood in mine. I shuddered as I thought of Eric's vicious Maker. God, I hoped I never would get to meet him. Kato was enough of a handful as it was.

Kato's voice brought me out of my ruminations.

"I have brought you a present to atone for my indirect role in the Queen's machinations," he announced, pulling a rectangular wooden box from his pants pocket and handing it to me.

I took hold of it with a puzzled frown and slid the lid open. There, resting over a nest of white cotton, was a glossy chunk of pink flesh, the surface of which was luridly pimpled. One extremity was horribly mangled, as if it had be severed with pliers, and the whole thing looked straight out of a slasher flick. I felt nauseous and almost lost my dinner when it dawned onto me that I was looking at a _tongue_.

I threw the revolting article away as if it was burning my fingers and turned my horrified gaze towards Kato. His countenance had not changed in the slightest: he was placidly observing me with his hands linked in his lap.

"What the HELL was _that_?" I exploded.

"That was the tongue of the nurse who so treacherously sold you out," he explained with supreme calm. "She won't be over-sharing anymore."

I gaped incredulously at the Vampire, then my eyes shifted from his quietly smiling face to the gruesome appendage lying on the wooden planks of the porch. It had rolled out of the box and was looking even more obscene out of its cotton nest. After a couple of minutes, I got hold of myself and managed to tear my gaze away and I swallowed the bile that had risen in the back of my throat.

Well, I guess Hadley's nurse hadn't made it to Mexico, after all. I didn't even want to know how Kato had tracked her down and what he had done to the rest of her body. I imagined that in his amoral Vampire way, bringing me the severed body part of an enemy was the height of good manners, or something.

"Scholar, uh?" was all I could come up with.

"Yes, scholar," he replied; "but Vampire first."

He arranged his sleeve before adding:

"Trust me, sweet Sookie, whatever I did to that woman, Eric would have done much, much worse had he found her first."

I actually didn't doubt that for a second, but I wasn't willing to dwell on that thought so I changed the subject.

"Why do you keep calling me 'sweet Sookie'? I'm not sweet, trust me."

"Oh, but you are," he replied with a slightly fangy grin.

"Did you find out the identity of the nurse's Vampire accomplice," I asked, averting my eyes.

"Oh, yes. She was very forthcoming with information, as you can imagine."

I could _definitely_ imagine.

"The Vampire in question was a nobody. The name of his employer, which he so generously volunteered before meeting an unfortunate end, will be of some interest to you, however. A certain Bill Compton?"

I snapped my head to face Kato, who was looking pleased by the effect his little bombshell had had on me.

"As it turns out," he carried on, "in addition to his official business ventures, Compton plays a role comparable to mine at Queen Sophie-Anne's court: he is an unofficial procurer of rare or not-so-rare creatures, and has a small number of scouts under his orders who help him obtain assets and pets to keep the Queen entertained. That is how he has gained royal favor, and why he was present at your audience, since he took personal credit for discovering you. I will leave the task of seeking revenge on him to Eric, however. Compton is very well connected, and unlike the two other fools I took care of, his disappearance would be investigated."

"Ugh!" I snapped. "Just when I think I've seen how devious Vampires can get, something happens to remind me that I don't know the half of it. I can't believe the Queen was trying to hook me up with that creep."

I huffed out my irritation then addressed Kato:

"Thank you, by the way. The tongue was overkill, but I appreciate what you've done."

Kato slightly tilted his head in acknowledgement then declared:

"You're about to become very coveted. Your fame will spread across the kingdoms and the Supernatural community. Many will want a piece of you, and you will need strong protection."

"I have Eric," I said sharply.

"Yes, of course. My brother is very powerful, but you'll need more than that."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, you'll need to develop your Magic, for self-preservation purpose."

"I don't have any magical powers!" I lied.

I guess frying people's brains counted as Magic, but I wasn't about to share that little tidbit with Kato.

"Your telepathy is a powerful magical manifestation," he countered; "and you have the Fae spark, even if it's dormant at the moment. In addition, I know ways to awake your Demon witchcraft. If you were to be brought to your full potential, you could too become a Master of Magic."

He shifted his body to lean closer to me.

"You do not fully grasp the possibilities your exceptional heritage presents you with, sweet Sookie."

His speech had grown increasingly impassionate and he was looking at me with a sort of feverish glint in his eyes. More worryingly, he was starting to remind me seriously of… Niall.

"What do you want with me, Kato?" I demanded in a cold voice.

His expression promptly lost its passion and he was once again grinning softly.

"Ah, I have shown quite a bit of my hand, haven't I? Very well, I shall be completely honest with you," he declared. "Sookie, did my brother speak to you about our Maker?"

"A bit. That's not his favorite subject."

Where was he going with that?

"Unsurprisingly," he chuckled. "Ocella was a miscreant; but he had some good qualities too. For instance, he was a discerning collector. In his case, he collected talented children. Do you know what essential quality a good collector requires?"

"Greediness?" I replied tartly.

"Yes, that helps," he laughed, "but the most important trait is a good eye for hidden treasures. Ocella and I share this characteristic: we can see beyond what people are into what they could become."

His gaze became more insistent.

"Do you know what I see when I look at you?" he asked rhetorically. "I see a vast untapped potential; a potential that I am willing to help you realize, if only you would allow me. Telepathy is but the tip the iceberg, sweet Sookie. I have never had an apprentice, but today I find myself willing to take you under my wing. I do not flatter myself when I say that this is an exceptionally generous offer I am making you. It should be wise of you to seriously consider it."

"You remind me of Niall," I answered stonily. "He too only saw unrealised potential and prospective advantages when he looked at me. When _Eric_ looks at me, he sees the individual first. That's the difference between him and the rest of you."

"Yes, of course. My brother's interest in you has nothing to do with your beauty, or the sweetness of your Fairy-laced blood, or your useful telepathy," Kato said with derision. "I'm certain his only interest is in your wholesome southern charm. We Vampires cannot get enough of that kind of thing."

"I happily give Eric my blood and body," I shot back with irritation. "He shows due appreciation for the former and makes expert use of the latter. As for my telepathy, he could have the benefit of it for _a lot_ less than what he's paying me. Eric cares about me. Do not act as if you know the first thing about us!"

"You love him," he stated with slight surprise.

"I do."

"Does _he_ love you?"

I was taken aback by the question and struggled to form an answer. As I was stumbling over my words, I saw the corner of Kato's mouth quirk upward.

"Ah, just as I thought. The mighty Viking isn't so tamed, after all," he uttered. "Let me guess, he has told you that Vampires do not love."

I gave him a hostile glare but kept my mouth shut.

"Ah, yes, of course he did. The classic excuse of the emotionally stunted Vampire," he quipped with a chuckle.

"How is that an excuse, if it's true?" I blurted out.

"Come now, Sookie, you do not actually believe that, do you? You are young, but you do not strike me as naïve."

He raised an eyebrow at me but I remained silent.

"Vampires _do_ love, sweet Sookie. The love of an Immortal burns more intensely than the fires of hells and last for centuries, if not forever. If you do not believe me, you only have to look at our most circulated tale: the life of Dracula, as told to Bram Stoker."

I narrowed my eyes skeptically, a move that Kato caught.

"Yes, yes, much of it is falsification and artistic liberties," he said with a gesture of his hands, "but many of the details are authentic. The Count's enduring love for his tragic wife and subsequently for the human woman 'Mina' is real. What the novel doesn't tell you is that, in the end, the Count successfully turned Mina, and they happily lived together for many centuries. Rumor has it that they still do. There are other examples of Vampire pairings or Vampire/human couples who were linked by the deepest bonds of love. Those among our kind who want to convince themselves that Vampires cannot experience love in order to justify their own inadequacies attempt to devaluate such relationships: they call it blood obsession, alliances of convenience, mutually co-dependant associations, etc. Excuses, sweet Sookie, _excuses_."

As much as I hated to admit it, Kato's speech was deeply affecting me. He had touched on the most sensitive issue between Eric and me, and said aloud what I had caught myself silently thinking many times. He had planted a seed of doubt in my mind, and judging by his smug smirk, he fully knew it. I knew I needed to get away from him.

"Listen, I'm tired, so I think it's time for you to go," I declared in an unsteady voice.

Kato stood up when I did but made no motion to leave.

"You know I am telling the truth," he insisted. "Do you realize that you are tying yourself to a man who is incapable of loving you, even though you all but admitted that love is the only thing that matters to you, more than power or riches? How ironic, really."

I couldn't stand to be in his presence a minute more, and tried to rush past him to get inside the house, but he grabbed my arm, halting my progress. I shot him a hateful look that he ignored.

"I am not your enemy, Sookie," he said softly.

The smirk was gone from his face and his eyes were a pool of compassion.

"Indeed, I wish to be your friend. Friends tell each other harsh truths, and I have told you nothing but the truth. I am sorry to see you upset, but you must consider your choices wisely. My offer to teach you the magical arts still stands, and it comes with no strings attached. I will be around."

And with a gush of wind and a dull swooshing sound, he was gone. I ran to my room and threw myself on the bed, as tears began free-flowing down my cheeks.

That night, I had a terribly vivid dream.

I found myself in the deserted lobby of _Dragon House_, as it must have looked like after hours. I automatically climbed the stairs up to Eric's office, as my instinct told me I would find him there. As I reached my destination, I heard muffled moaning sounds coming through the door. With a sense of foreboding, I pushed open the door and stepped in.

Eric stood at his desk, wearing the usual black T-shirt, his jeans unfastened and hanging off his hips. Beneath him, a naked woman was bent over the lacquered surface. He was roughly entering her from behind, groaning with each thrust as she was exulting with pleasure. I couldn't take my eyes away from the revolting display: it was like watching a train wreck.

The woman had a stylized tree tattooed in dark green ink on her back, and its branches seemed to move as her body wriggled and contorted. Her long auburn hair was hanging off the edge of the desk like a glossy waterfall but her face was turned away from me. However, I could see every single one of Eric's facial shifts as he rode her to ecstasy before leaning forward to bite her shoulder. After what seemed an eternity, it was over and Eric withdrew himself from inside her, his penis slick with her arousal, then plopped down on his chair.

"Gods, that was fantastic, lover," he breathed.

The woman laughed throatily, shifted around and sat on his lap. They exchanged a sloppy kiss as they fondled each other. From my vantage point, I could now see her face: she was movie star gorgeous, with stunning green cat-eyes and sharp cheekbones.

"I bet your telepath doesn't fuck you like that, uh?" she jeered.

"That little girl?" Eric snorted, "she can barely find my cock with her two hands. It's good to be with a _real_ woman after having to deal with her tepid teenage drama," he purred in her ear. "Not to mention her fucked-up family of hicks!"

"Why do you even bother with the charade with that kid?" she asked.

"Because the fool lives in a romance novel," Eric replied with a roll of his eyes. "She's just so much more gullible when she thinks she's _in love_!"

He comically batted his eyelashes and the woman threw her head back to roar with laughter.

"I won't have to carry on with this bullshit romance for very long, though," he added. "Soon, we'll be Bonded and she'll be my slave, and then I'll be free to pimp her out to Kings and Queens all over America. She'll make me _millions_! I might even charge them extra for the privilege of tasting her blood. She tastes fucking good, after all."

"Better than me?" the woman pouted.

"No, lover, you taste like a grown woman. There's nothing better than that."

Eric grabbed her hair and pulled her head down for another sloppy kiss.

"Come here, lover, I want to fuck you again," he growled.

The dream abruptly faded and I jerked awake on my bed. I was breathing erratically and my body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. I felt like a pair of pincers was squeezing my heart, ripping it from its cavity and pushing it up my throat. I jumped out of the bed and barely made it to the bathroom before I violently threw up. Once the nausea had subsided, I flushed the toilet then rinsed my mouth and face with cold water. When I caught my reflection on the mirror, I recoiled in horror: I looked like death warmed over. My hair was matted to my face, my skin looked ashen and I had dark circles under my eyes.

I dragged myself back to my bed and slid under the sheets. I knew it was futile to attempt to sleep again: as exhausted as I was, there was no way my mind would relax enough to allow me to get some rest.

I recognized that this had just been a stupid nightmare. I actually had been conscious that I was dreaming while the action was unfolding. The 'Eric' of my nightmare was a grotesque parody of my Vampire, and bore no resemblance to the real him. My Eric cared for me, he would never, ever betray me, he loved the sexual gamed we played, he adored Gran, and he would sooner meet his final death than exploit me. I knew all this to be true and I repeated this to myself as a sort of mantra.

I needed to hear Eric's voice, to listen to his soft words of affection and reassurance, and I almost called him, but something prevented me from doing so. It was an alien feeling, a gripping fear that crippled me and forced me to remain lying. My despair and my tears kept me awake for hours, and it wasn't until it was almost dawn that I finally managed to sink into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**A/N**: Thank you for reading. Next chapter **The Undergraduate Part II** will be up next Wednesday.


	18. The Undergraduate Part II

**A/N: **So sorry about the late posting. The chapter turned out more arduous to write than I had anticipated. Also, I've experienced some issues with the notification system, so if I haven't responded to your review, I apologize, it wasn't intentional.

Much love and gratitude to my Beta **All About Eric** for her continued support and helpfulness.

* * *

_I've never written a love song,  
That didn't end in tears.  
Maybe you'll rewrite my love song,  
If you can replace my fears (…)_

_There's so much I would give, baby,  
If I'd only let myself.  
There's this well of emotions,  
I feel, I must protect.  
But what's the point of this armor,  
If it keeps the love away, too?_

I'd rather bleed with cuts of love,  
Than live without any scars.

_Love Song - _by Pink

**Chapter 18 –** **THE UNDERGRADUATE Part II**

**EPOV**

I awoke from my day slumber feeling slightly sluggish, as was customary whenever I regained consciousness while the sun was still up. Whilst most Vampires were in effect dead until dark, the combination of my advanced age and man-made accommodations allowed me to rise early. If circumstances compelled me to rest in the dirt, almost nothing could stir me awake before the last sunrays had melted away on the horizon, but in the safety of my light-tight lair, I was able to revive up to two hours before dusk, even though I rarely pushed my limits that far.

My internal body clock informed me that it was one hour to sundown, and I lay beneath the champagne silk sheets for a few minutes, allowing my body to regain its full vitality. I leisurely brushed a hand over the emptiness at my side; the very place where I wished my beautiful lover was stretching right this instant. Pam had been the last in a very short list of people who had been allowed to share my bed through the day. That had been centuries ago, while she was still a fledgling, and had been mostly done out of necessity, as newborn Vampires are in need of constant supervision and reassurance. I had enjoyed this intimacy with my child, but when she had requested her own bed after a few years, as our intense sexual relationship was winding down, I had welcomed the restoration of my privacy.

Tonight, however, privacy was the last thing on my mind. What had seemed like freedom only months before now felt like loneliness. Something had changed in me. _Sookie_ had changed me. I wanted her by my side when I rose; I wanted her to be the last thing I saw when day slumber overtook me, and I wanted to steal as much of her time as possible in between that. After centuries of jealously guarded independence, I now wanted to share _everything_ with my lover.

When I had first realized the fierceness of my yearning for Sookie, I had been dismayed: it was very unwise for an Immortal to get too attached to anything or anyone, and I had lived through enough disasters, deaths and annihilations to know that. Eventually, I had come to terms with my emotions and had begun readying my main home (a two-storey town house in a residential suburb of Shreveport) for the time Sookie would agree to move in with me.

The upper floors were being refurbished to suit her taste (southern cosiness was the main theme) and a sunroof was being added to the redesigned patio to accommodate her love of sunbathing. The works should be completed in a few weeks, by which time I hoped to unveil the house to Sookie and convince her to ditch her student accommodations and live full-time with me. I knew that there was little hope that she would agree straight away, as she seemed hell-bent on enjoying the 'student experience', but at least I had already talked her into accepting an apartment I owned as a part- time residence.

Sookie's stubbornness (at least on that front) was problematic because, in addition to the safety issue, it meant we would only enjoy personal time a couple of nights a week throughout her University year. Her dorm accommodation was obviously not a place where I could meet her, and she was still determined to return to Bon Temps most weekends; a place I enjoyed visiting, but where I could not remain overnight for various reasons. The modifications I had made to the conference room at _Dragon House_ meant that we would have some measure of intimacy when she visited me at my workplace, but the clubhouse was too impersonal for proper romance, and we would be too easily disturbed by my professional obligations. Her apartment was the only place where we could enjoy true privacy, and I wasn't particularly happy about that. Still, she had been adamant in her desire to get an education and live a 'normal' student life, and I would not stand in the way of her wishes. I was already in the process of making additional arrangements to guarantee her safety.

The delicate hum of Sookie's consciousness was reaching me through the bond and I opened my end further so I could get a better feel of her state of mind. We had only completed the first step of the Bonding process, so at this stage I could only sense strong emotions (fear, intense pleasure, pain, etc.) when we were this far apart, unless I deliberately probed. My exploration revealed that Sookie was asleep, which was fortunate: she had a long night ahead of her and needed all the rest she could get.

Sufficiently rejuvenated, I shot out of bed to check my messages. I had one voicemail from Annabelle Valenti, the witch I had hired to ward the Stackhouse homesteads, informing me that she had gathered all the elements she needed to perform the services we had discussed during our interview the previous night, and that she was ready to go to work the next day. I sent her a text confirming the date and demanding that she come to _Dragon House_ tonight so that I might introduce her to Sookie.

My day man had called to confirm that all the arrangements had been made with regard to Adele's flight to, and subsequent stay in, New Orleans. Next was a text from Amy. I was startled to learn that Kato had paid a visit to Sookie. I was angered by my brother's presumptuousness, of course - he knew perfectly well that it was bad form to contact my pet without seeking my permission first - but above all I was anxious: Kato was always mixed up in some shady schemes and his unusual interest in my _telepathic_, _part-Fairy_ pet could not augur anything good. I would need to question Sookie as soon as I saw her and also have a talk with my dear brother about boundaries and proper Vampire protocol.

After taking a luxurious bath, I emptied a blood bag and changed into the silver suit and black shirt I favoured for formal occasions. I killed the rest of the hour by checking the stock markets and sending business-related e-mails. When at last I felt the sun go down, I exited the house and drove to Jason's apartment.

Adele was the one to greet me at the door. She confirmed that Sookie was still sleeping and when she asked to have a word with me, I followed her into the living room and we settled on the couch.

"Eric, did you have a fight with Sookie?" she inquired without preamble.

"Not that I know of," I replied with a confused frown. "Why do you ask, Adele?"

"Sookie was under the weather all morning. She was better after she returned from a visit to her friend Scarlett's home, but I know my granddaughter and I can tell she's upset about something."

_Oh, I wonder why that might be_.

"Did Sookie's change of mood happen before or after Kato's visit?" I asked in a neutral voice, not giving away my rising temper.

"Oh, you mean the Vampire who came to visit her? Was he a friend of yours?"

"Not exactly," I replied evasively.

"Oh. Well, I left it to Sookie to decide whether she wanted to see him, but she seemed quite trusting," Adele explained. "Now that you mention it, she seemed fine until he appeared. I was already in bed by the time she came back inside so I do not know what her state of mind was after talking to him, but I suppose he must have done something to affect her because she's been slightly off all day. I tried to quiz her during the drive to Shreveport, but she wouldn't tell me what was wrong, so I assumed it had something to do with you."

"The last time I talked to Sookie we were making plans for the future, so I am quite confident that you are mistaken, Adele. But I intend to get to the bottom of this," I assured her.

My tone was serene, but inside I was seething. I did not yet know what Kato had done or said to upset my Sookie, but I would find out and give him hell for his interference.

"Please do," Adele urged me. "And, Eric?"

"Yes?"

"A week ago, you made me a promise," she said pointedly.

"I did," I nodded, "and I have kept my word."

"Well, I do not hold you to that promise anymore."

She ignored my raised eyebrow and continued:

"Instead, I want you to make me another one."

"I am listening."

"I want you to vow to be a real companion for Sookie. And that means being more than just a bodyguard or an employer, or a summer beau. I do not know how Vampires conduct their private affairs, but Sookie needs, and deserves, true emotional support. Her life is more complicated than I can imagine and I don't suppose it'll get easier anytime soon. We have always been close but she's grown now and I can't always reach through to her like I used to. She's now in need a different kind of closeness, the type that can only be brought by true love and partnership. I have always known this time would come, but today served as a reminder."

She paused and gave me a charged look. I was quite flabbergasted by the turn of the conversation, as I had not expected her to be so forward.

"Are you willing to be that partner, Eric? To share everything you are, and everything you have to offer, with my baby?" she asked.

"Yes I am, Adele," I replied, and I meant every word.

"Does that mean you do love Sookie?" she added.

I paused. _Love_. That was a tough one.

I knew Sookie loved me, and I valued her affection more than anything. Her presence in my life had become a necessity that went beyond a mere sense of ownership. No one, not even Pam, had ever mattered to me as she did and, yes, I was prepared to support her in all the ways she needed, and share with her all that I possessed and had to offer, as a man, as a Vampire, and as a Sheriff. I was about to say as much when I became aware of Sookie's presence in the room. I had been so engrossed in conversation with Adele that I hadn't noticed her awakening through the bond. She was wrapped in a pale pink cotton robe and her hair was adorably mussed from sleep. Even straight out of bed, without any artifice, she looked lovely. She was leaning against the wall at the juncture between the corridor and the living room, and was looking at me with obvious interest. The bond was humming with anticipation and I realised that she must have heard at least the end of my talk with Adele. Not knowing quite how to react, I elected to change the subject.

"Sookie," I greeted her with a smile (Adele may have just implicitly given me the green light to take my relationship with Sookie to the next level, but I did not think it quite proper to call her granddaughter 'lover' right in front of her).

I rose to close the distance between us and hugged her. I saw a flash of disappointment cross her face but she soon returned my smile and my embrace. I placed a chaste kiss on top of her head and inhaled her delicious scent. Gods, to wake up to that every night would be heaven.

Her arms still wrapped around my neck, Sookie rose on her tiptoes to kiss me. I leaned forward to increase the pressure on her lips and almost gave in to the urge to deepen the caress when Adele's pointed cough reminded me that we were not alone. Sookie giggled softly before peeking over my shoulder:

"Sorry, Gran!"

"Young love runs wild," Adele chuckled. "Now, if y'all could keep your hands off each other long enough to help me bring my luggage downstairs, I would be most grateful. Y'all have all the time in the world to be naughty when the cat's away."

Adele's teasing made Sookie blush pink, which I found adorable. From what I had seen so far, she was mostly devoid of sexual inhibitions, but a playful remark from her grandmother could still manage to embarrass her. I gave her a last peck and went to Adele's assistance. I made a quick work of Adele's luggage and we all went down to the lobby to wait for the limo that would transport her to the airfield. Tray, who would serve as her guard during her sojourn, arrived right on cue a couple of minutes later, and Sookie and I gave Adele, who would be gone for fortnight, a warm send off.

On the elevator ride back up to the apartment, Sookie wrapped an arm around my waist and leaned against my chest.

"I'm so happy to see you," she breathed.

"So am I, lover," I replied.

Sookie's attitude confirmed my suspicions: her anxious mood had had nothing to do with me, and most likely everything to do with Kato, but I resolved to allow her to change and eat before interrogating her on the subject. I followed her to her bedroom and lounged on her bed as she took her evening shower. Sookie was finicky about her personal hygiene, and being blessed with enhanced senses, I was certainly grateful for her scrupulousness. Vampires are quite blasé about foul smells - we have to be, as the natural scents excreted by humans roughly fall into four categories: urine, faeces, sweat, and bile, all of which are deeply unpleasant (with the exception of sweat, which can be quite an exciting odour in the right conditions…) – but that didn't mean we weren't as appreciative of a fine fragrance as the most delicate human perfumier.

When Sookie exited the bathroom, a towel barely covering her modesty, I watched with an unapologetic leer as she changed into a black sleeveless dress with a flouncy skirt. She had an amused smirk plastered over her face as she gave me quite a show, deliberating for an exaggerated amount of time over her selection of lingerie (settling for a lacy white set that beautifully enhanced her tan), then allowing her towel to drop to the floor and putting on her clothes for a protracted amount of time. Every once in a while, she would glance in my direction with a raised eyebrow, as if daring me to make a move but, with supreme self-control, I ignored my raging hard-on and restrained myself from jumping her. As much as I wanted to show her just how much I had missed her, our schedule was simply too tight. She was expected at _Dragon House_ to perform for Andre in roughly one hour, and I knew full well that if I got my hands on her, we wouldn't emerge from the bedroom on time.

She eventually put an end to her little game and selected a pair of black ballet flats and a white cashmere cardigan to wear with her dress. The outfit struck the right note: it was smart but not stuffy, which was appropriate for the nature of the evening's activities. She put on some light make-up then headed to the kitchen and, after taking a few moments to cool down, I joined her. As she ate a plate of cold chicken and potato salad, I decided I had waited long enough.

"I understand Kato came to visit you, lover," I began.

I noticed her facial features hardened slightly when I uttered his name, which made me even more apprehensive.

"What did he want?"

Sookie swallowed her mouthful before replying:

"To talk, mostly. As it turns out, your goblet really was tainted with Elf blood, and Kato knew that because he was the one the Queen hired to procure the creature. After meeting us, he got curious and he found out what had happened. The Queen spilled pretty much everything, so he knows that I'm a telepath and how she got that information. By the way, don't bother going after the nurse or the Vampire who glamoured Hadley: Kato brought me the tongue of the former and staked the latter. The Vampire was a scout for Bill Compton, which explains why that low-life was there at all."

She briefly paused to drink some sweet tea before carrying on:

"Kato also made me an offer."

She gave me a glance to gauge my reaction but I gave nothing away and gestured for her to continue.

"He was able to tell my heritage straight away because, apparently, he has the ability to sense the Magic in other people. Anyway, he wants to teach me how to develop my latent powers. He seems to think that I have the potential to become a kick-ass witch or, as he calls it: a Master of Magic."

"Lover, as much I would love to see you become more powerful, Kato is not someone you can trust. There is _always_ a hefty price to pay for his 'favours'. Beside, when your Magic was awoken in Faerun, it almost killed you," I reminded her.

"Yeah, I remember. Eric, I didn't accept his offer, and I didn't mention my trip to Faerun either. However…" she trailed off with a grimace.

"However?" I pressed.

"Well… I may have inadvertently mentioned Niall. I'm sorry about that. He just knew so much that I thought he was working for Niall and I confronted him about it. I didn't explicitly referred to Niall as my great-grandfather, but Kato may have connected the dots. Is that going to cause us trouble?"

I thought over what had just transpired. That Sophie-Anne had genuinely attempted to poison me was surprising, but not grievously so. One did not rise to the highest echelons of the Vampire social hierarchy by being predictable or merciful. I had clearly been too cocky in assuming that I was too valuable to her monarchy for her to make a move against me. I would have to tread more carefully around her from now on, but it was Kato's actions that gave me the most concern.

It was plain that he had gone out of his way to dispatch the nurse and her Vampire accomplice in order to gain Sookie's favour, in the hope that she would accept his offer. I was pleased to see that she hadn't given his proposal any serious consideration, but I had more than a feeling that Kato would not be so easily discouraged. My brother never did anything out of the kindness of his heart, so I needed to discover his true motivations for wanting to 'empower' Sookie. Was he working for somebody? Niall, maybe, even though Sookie seemed to have dismissed that possibility. Or was he working for himself?

That's when it hit me. If Sookie had the potential to become as powerful as Kato claimed, then surely she would make a very attractive child for a Vampire such as him. Fuck. As if I didn't have enough on my plate, I now had to worry about my brother trying to entice and turn my lover.

"I will talk to Kato, lover," I finally said. "In the meantime, I do not want you to have any more contact with him. If he attempts to approach you again, I want you to warn me immediately, is that clear?"

"Crystal," she nodded.

"Good. Now, what else did Kato say?"

"Nothing," she said too quickly.

"You're giving my bullshit-meter a work-out, lover. Even if I couldn't sense your bluff through the bond, it's obvious that none of what you've just shared would have upset you enough to put you in a bad mood all day."

"How do you even know… Ugh, Gran!"

I raised an eyebrow, ignoring her annoyance.

"What are you not telling me?" I insisted. "What did he do? Did he threaten you when refused his offer?"

"No! Not at all. We just talked, that's all. It was nothing, really, I don't want to talk about it."

"You'll have to do better than that, lover," I scolded her, feeling my irritation rise.

"Actually, no, I don't," she answered briskly. "Drop it, Eric!"

We stared at each other for a minute, before I backed down. There was no way I would dismiss the issue, but now wasn't the time to have an argument. Sookie needed to be relaxed for her demonstration, and there would be plenty of time to go back to the topic later on.

"Fine, I'll drop it… for now," I said in a stern voice. "We should get going. Are you ready?"

She nodded and we silently made our way downstairs. In the Corvette, Sookie grabbed my hand above the gear console and said:

"I'm sorry I snapped at you, Eric. I had a bad dream, that's all. Kato said a couple of unkind things, true, but nothing threatening, _really_. He was just being an ass. I'm fine now and I just want to put all this behind me."

I raised our entwined hands to kiss her fingers.

"As you wish, lover," I conceded.

There was no point trying to bully the facts out of Sookie. I trusted that she had shared all the really crucial information, and I would make sure that Kato never approached her again. Her hand migrated to my thigh, upon which it stayed for the rest of the drive.

When we arrived at _Dragon House_, we took to the main stairs hand in hand, attracting curious stares from the few Vampire patrons spread round the lobby. Since Sophie-Anne had outed Sookie, there was no point in being sneaky anymore, and it was actually in our interests that her status as my pet be known by the lesser Vampires under my jurisdiction: very few people would dare harm what was mine.

When we reached my office, I was irked to see Kato casually seated in the waiting area, in front of Soledad's desk. I felt Sookie tense beside me, confirming my suspicion that whatever her issue with Kato was, she was not yet over it. My brother furtively glanced at our joined hands and gave Sookie an unreadable look, then stood and smiled pleasantly.

"My brother; Sookie," he said, punctuating each greeting with a nod.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed.

"Why, I am coming to register my presence in his territory with the Sheriff of Area 5," he replied with a raised eyebrow.

"How gracious of you, Kato. If only you had done so yesterday instead of harassing my pet," I declared icily. "We will speak of this, but I have other matters to attend for now. Go and wait in the lobby," I dismissed him.

Kato gave me a sneer then, with a last glance at my lover, excused himself. I turned to Sookie who gave me a smile and mouthed: 'I'm OK'. Soledad, who had discreetly observed the tense scene, informed me that the witch Annabelle had been shown into my office, as I had asked. I thanked her and led Sookie through the doors.

As I began introducing the witch to Sookie, I felt a thunderstorm of shock and dismay through the bond and I spun round to discover the cause of her distress. She was staring at Annabelle with a horrified expression on her face, and her hand was covering her open mouth.

"Sookie?" I called.

When I got no reaction, I repeated her name, and this time she looked at me. Her eyes were misted, her breath laboured and the bond was all over the place: Sookie was having a panic attack. I ordered the bewildered witch to stay put as I ushered Sookie into the conference room.

The space had undergone a complete overhaul in the two weeks since Sookie had last visited. Gone were the large table and projector, and instead there was a more feminine version of my office. Along with a glass-topped desk and a plush chair, there was a comfortable suede sofa and club chairs such as she had bought for Adele's home in Bon Temps; a fridge stocked with up-market ready-meals, a kitchen counter loaded with a microwave, an espresso machine and a hot-water boiler. Above the sink were two cupboards filled with dry goods and a selection of dishes and cutlery. A small bathroom had been erected in a corner and a library, stereo and TV set had been installed for her entertainment. The TV was linked to a discreet camera that had been inserted into my office wall, alongside a microphone, so that when I needed her to read people for me, she could do so from the privacy and safety of this room, without ever being seen. The walls had been soundproofed and I had installed an intercom next to the door so that she could communicate with me when necessary. I had come up with the idea a month ago as a way to gradually involve her in the Supernatural world without compromising her incognito. Anonymity wasn't much of a concern anymore, obviously, but I still thought Sookie would appreciate having her own space to work undisturbed. I had planned to unveil her office with considerably more flourish, but now was not the time for theatrics.

"Sookie? What is it? Tell me."

She ignored my question, instead murmuring to herself:

"That's impossible… She can't be a real person… This can't be true…"

At the same time, I noticed that I couldn't sense her emotions anymore: right after the bond had registered her shock, it had gone numb. I could still feel the dull hum of her consciousness but everything else was a blur. I held by her the shoulders and shook her slightly to bring her out of her daze.

"Sookie! What is happening? Did you close the bond?"

She regarded me with utter confusion before attempting to wriggle out of my grasp. As soon as I let her go, she pointed a finger in direction of the wall separating our two offices and abruptly said:

"Who was _that_?"

"She's the witch I hired to ward your and Jason's homes," I replied, thrown off by her aggressiveness. "Now, tell me: what made you react that way? And what have you done to our bond?"

"How do you know her?" she inquired, completely ignoring my questions.

"As I _just_ told you, I hired her to…"

"I've heard you the first time!" she cut in snappily. "I meant how did you meet her? How long have you known her?"

I was quickly losing patience with her insolent tone, but I made an effort to quench my aggression. There had to be a serious reason behind Sookie's frenzy, and I needed to indulge her until I found out what that was.

"I found her through my contacts. She comes from a highly regarded coven, and we met last night to discuss terms and conditions. Now, lover, I've been patient enough. Tell me what has disturbed you so," I demanded.

"Oh my God, she here last night? Alone with you, in your office?" Sookie asked in a distressed voice.

"I am not answering any more of your questions until you tell me what the hell is going on!" I said through clenched teeth, feeling my temper rise.

"No! YOU answer me!" she suddenly yelled. "I will not be taken for a fool! Did you have sex with her? _Did you?_ ANSWER ME!"

I looked at her in utter consternation. We had had a couple of arguments, but I had never seen her so hysterical … or disrespectful. Who was this irrational harpy flinging wild accusations in my face?

"Sookie," I warned, "I _strongly_ advise you to calm down right this instant. And to watch your tone when addressing me: I am not your fucking lackey."

The look she gave me as tears fell down her cheeks was filled with utter pain. In spite of my anger, I instinctively stepped forward to comfort her, but she drew back.

"You're not even denying it," she sobbed. "I'm so stupid… everything was a lie!"

"Sookie, for fuck's sake, will you please tell me what the devil has got into you?" I cried out. "I am not fucking anyone, least of all the bloody witch! You're not making any sense and I'm growing tired of your behaviour."

"_My _behaviour?" she protested. "OK, fine, please tell me if any of the following is false: this woman was in your office last night, alone with you. She has a tree tattoo on her back. She's a real red-head, and you love that she tastes like a grown fucking woman!"

I narrowed my eyes as I listened to Sookie's rambling. I had no fucking clue what the witch had on her back or what colour her pubic hair was or what her blood tasted like, but since Sookie seemed convinced that I was screwing around, there was little point trying to get that through her thick skull. I was more concerned with how she knew such details, if they were indeed true. Had the witch been glamoured to think we had slept together during our interview last night? That was the only explanation.

"Frankly, Sookie, I thought you cleverer than that," I uttered. "You were fooled by false memories implanted in a human only two days ago and you're falling for the same trap once again."

"I did _not_ look into her mind! I did not need to. I _saw_ it happening."

"Oh, are you a seer now? Pray tell, what did you see happening?"

"The whole thing!" she exclaimed with a disgusted expression on her face. "You fucked her right over your desk, and then you laughed about what a naïve little idiot I am."

"Frankly, right now, I don't disagree with the last part," I thought aloud, before I could stop myself.

"Well, fuck you!" _she spat acidly._

My fangs shot out reflexively and I seized her at Vampire speed. She whimpered when I dug my fingers in her arms but I was far too furious to care about her comfort. I had very low tolerance for disrespect, and I wasn't used to having people - _humans_ least of all - insult me so brazenly.

"Sookie, think!" I hissed, "If I had a mistress, why would I do something as stupid as arranging for you to meet her? You can read minds, and you can even read through glamour, so I would have no way to hide my affair from you. Use your brain, for fuck's sake! You think me a liar and a cheat, _fine_. But do you really believe me to be a fool as well?"

For the first time since the beginning of our fight, it seemed like my words were getting through to her. Her face was a mask of confusion, which was an improvement over the undiluted rage of only a few seconds before.

"I… I don't know what to think," she whined.

I zoomed towards the TV set, switched on the monitor and selected the first channel. An image of my office appeared onscreen. Annabelle was still patiently seated in her chair, so I turned to Sookie.

"Then read her mind. Do it now," I commanded.

Sookie only hesitated briefly before she saw the wisdom of my words. She breathed out to regain control of herself and her gaze turned slightly unfocused. After a minute of concentration, she looked at me in confusion.

"It's not there… the memory is not there… I don't understand," she muttered.

"That's because_ nothing_ _happened_!" I exclaimed with exasperation. "Lover, I have been true to my word, as I always will be."

Doubt was slowly replaced with embarrassment on her features, and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Now that we've cleared out that _little_ 'misunderstanding'," I said with a strong hint of sarcasm, "will you please tell me how this 'vision' came to you, and more importantly, why on earth are you still blocking the bond?"

"I'm not blocking the bond," she replied in a thin voice.

I frowned in confusion as I probed the bond: my end was most definitely closed and I was getting nothing but static from her.

"Eric… I'm sorry," she chocked, "I thought…"

She burst into tears before she could finish her apology, and I rushed to her side to encircle her with my arms. I really disliked this previously unknown side of her personality which she had just shown me - the insecure, unstable and irrational brat – but I was willing to forgive and forget, and put her outburst down to the difficult week she had had. Alas, just as I thought we had reached an end to this insanity, a new wave of anger overtook her. She began to struggle in my embrace and resumed her senseless accusations.

"I don't believe you! You're lying! She's… she's a _witch_! She must know how to block her memories. I SAW you!" she shouted, waving an accusatory finger in my face.

I was stunned speechless. What the fuck was going on with her? She seemed in the throes of an episode of paranoid schizophrenia, yet she had never shown any sign of mental imbalance before.

"Sookie, lover," I pleaded desperately. "Please, I'm begging you to calm down. We cannot carry on like this. Andre will be here any min…"

"Do you even love me?" she blurted out, a feverish glint in her eye.

"Sookie, _please_. Not now," I implored.

This was an absolutely disastrous situation: Sookie's breakdown couldn't happen at a more inopportune moment. If Andre reported to the Queen that my pet was out of control, she would exploit our predicament.

"Do you love me?" she pressed hysterically.

I lost control of my temper and jerked my head (and my extended fangs) to within an inch of face.

"Not. Now!" I hissed. "We can have this conversation later, if you wish, but right now, you need to get a grip and stop acting like a lunatic."

"But we've already had this talk, haven't we? Vampires do not love, right?" she sneered.

I said nothing. The truth was that I had begun to seriously question the veracity of this statement, but I certainly wasn't going to be bullied into admitting this by the crazed woman in front of me. If it could be said that I loved Sookie, then I had never loved her less than right at this instant.

"I've given you everything!" she sobbed. " My heart, my independence, my body, my future! I've given you power over my own family! You own me, you've made sure of that, but you don't love me, you never have! You've made me your slave, and I was stupid enough to let you."

Her words cut like a knife, but I couldn't find my voice to rebuke her absurd statement. In truth, I did not know how to handle this pathetic creature that I barely recognized as my lover. With perfect timing, Soledad chose this moment to knock on the door to alert me of Andre's arrival. I used the intercom to tell her to dismiss Annabelle, and have Andre and his retinue escorted to the new conference room, where Sookie and I would be joining them in a moment.

When I turned my gaze back to Sookie, she had dried her tears and wiped the mascara smears from her cheeks and eyelids. I was relieved that she was looking less like a madwoman, but the cold and clinical expression on her face didn't augur anything good.

"Sookie…" I began.

"Do not worry, _Master_," she cut in icily. "I will not embarrass you in front of your betters. Let's get this show on the road."

I swallowed my anger at both her tone and her meaning and silently led the way to the conference room, which had been transferred to the other side of the floor. Considering how volatile her mood had been so far, I had no idea how long this relative peace would last, and I wasn't about to take any chance by calling her out on her gratuitous bitchiness. Cold hostility was preferable to wailing.

Thankfully, Sookie held it together during the demonstration. Her face was a frozen mask, and I am certain _everybody_ noticed the frostiness between us, but she performed admirably. The session confirmed some of the knowledge I already had and gave me new insight.

Sookie could read humans – including witches – perfectly well, and discriminate between real memories and glamoured ones – though, as we agreed, she refrained from revealing that she could see beneath glamour. Weres and Shifters proved to be trickier, but she could still get a strong, if slightly crude, reading at a distance and a perfect one when she came into contact with them. With the help of well-directed conversation, she was able to thoroughly answer all of the questions Andre submitted. Demon, Vampire and Elf minds were impregnable. Andre had, ironically, also brought a part-Fairy, which Sookie had no trouble reading but, as before, she was unable to read the semi-Demon.

Looking back on the night Sookie had first encountered a Demon hybrid helped me realize something. She used different adjectives to describe the minds of the various Supernatural entities: the Demons and semi-Demons were like static, the Elves were like rain, Weres and Shifters were like gaseous coloured swirls you had to dissipate to see beneath, and the Fairies were like a stream of water. She could not read all of these Supes, but she still got a 'feel' of them. Three months ago, she had been able to fry the brain of the Demon hybrid who was attempting to kill me, despite not being able to read his thoughts. The only race whose brain did not give her any particular sense of texture was the Vampire race. She perceived us as voids, _and_ she could not hurt us. I thought that correlation to be significant, and I would discuss my theory with Sookie later on… hopefully. She was showing signs of exhaustion at the end of the one-hour session, and I did not doubt that her poor stamina had a lot to do with her current emotional instability. As soon as Andre (looking obviously satisfied) departed, Sookie bolted for the door. I caught up with her and barred the way.

"Where are you going?"

"Home. Is there a line in my contract that says I can't?"

"You childishness is unbearable," I sighed. "This situation cannot endure."

"Yep, that's me: the little girl who can barely find your cock with her two hands."

I rolled my eyes.

"Idiocy _and_ vulgarity, _beautiful_."

"Fuck. You," she hissed.

This was it: I had reached my limit. I fisted my hands to prevent myself from harshly gripping her once again, or worse, slapping some sense into her, and declared in a voice dripping with cold rage:

"Shut the fuck up, Sookie. I mean it. I do not want to hear _a single word_ crossing your lips during the ride back to your apartment. I will gag you if I need to. Now, I will drive you home, and then you_ will_ give me a full explanation, followed by a _full apology_, for your appalling behaviour."

I ignored her tears – how on earth she had any left was anyone's guess – and headed downstairs, knowing that my tone had ensured that she would follow. As I crossed the lobby, I noticed that Kato had remained there, as I had ordered. I ignored his questioning glance and exited _Dragon House_ without a word. My conversation with the bastard would have to wait, even though I was certain he had somehow poisoned Sookie's mind against me during their conversation yesterday. Sookie was thankfully quiet during the car trip, and once we reached her apartment building, she looked like she was about to protest when I climbed into the elevator with her, but one cutting look from me silenced her.

"Start talking," I said without preamble as soon as we had crossed her threshold.

By good luck, her brother was out, so we would have all the privacy we needed.

"Get out," she breathed.

She was sniffling _again_ and I knew I had to speak fast before she drowned in another pool of her tears, losing her sanity along the way.

"Sookie, we _will_ have this conversation," I stated forcefully.

"GET OUT!" she exploded. "I will not listen to any more of your lies! Vampires can love, Eric; _you_ just can't love _me_. And if I'm honest with myself, you've been more than upfront about your limitations, I just haven't been paying attention..."

"Then pay attention now!" I cried out in exasperation.

"No, YOU pay attention!" she yelled, her face streaked with tears. "We have an arrangement, and I have no choice but to respect it. I'll keep working for you, and I'll let you parade me in front of your fellow bloodsuckers, but the rest is OVER. Stay away from me unless you need me to do something I'm contractually obliged to do."

"Are you breaking up with me?" I asked incredulously.

"That's what it sounded like to me! Now leave me alone," she sobbed. "You can go back to being a slut, I don't care."

I felt like she had just sucker-punched me. She couldn't mean that… she wasn't herself… she just needed to rest and tomorrow, all would be well. I still couldn't get anything from the bond, and felt utterly disheartened.

"If you truly do not want to be with me, then I will give you back your freedom," I said sadly. "Why would I want an arrangement that makes me a slave owner and you a blood whore?"

At that last word, her head jerked up and she shot me a poisonous glare.

"I RESCIND YOUR INVITATION!" she erupted.

I felt an invisible wall collide with the front of my body, pushing me backward towards the entrance. I barely had time to spin round and open the door to avoid crashing into it. Sookie was right behind me, and slammed the door right into my astonished face as soon as I had crossed the threshold.

What the fuck just happened?

I stood rooted to the spot, stunned and speechless, for close to half an-hour. I kept expecting the door to re-open, or to be given some indication that the past two hours had been part of an elaborate hoax, but the entrance to Sookie's apartment remained obstinately closed. Dejected, I returned to my lair and sank to the floor of my bedroom, my head cradled between my hands. I thought of calling Pam, but I was in too fragile a state to even handle the slightest sarcasm. With every passing minute the gravity of the situation sank deeper in my mind.

I had been jilted. For an infidelity I hadn't committed. And because a comment I had made years ago came back to bite me in the ass. I remembered that night. Sookie was 13… no 12; I had flown her to the top of a tree at the edge of the woods surrounding Adele's home. '_Have you ever been in love_?' she had asked. '_We do not love'_, I had answered.

We do not love.

_Do we?_

Only two days ago, I would probably have answered yes. But as I ran through my conversation with Adele in my mind once again, I was less certain than ever.

'_Are you willing to be that partner, Eric?_ _To share everything you are, and everything you have to offer, with her?'_

Why had the answer to that question (yes!) come so easily to me, yet the three little words Sookie longed to hear escaped me? Was it not love, the bliss I felt anytime she looked at me with eyes filled with affection? Was it not love, the total lack of interest, I, Eric Northman, the conqueror of thousands of lovers, felt for any woman but Sookie? Was it not love, the way I basked in her devotion, the way it warmed my soul like no other thing? Was it not love, the hole I felt in my chest, knowing that I might have lost her forever? Was it not love that had driven me to desire an eternal Bond with her?

I thought back to the closest instances I had come to loving a woman in the past. There had been Aude, my human wife, whom I had mourned, but had I really loved her? I doubted it, as the sadness I felt at her passing paled in comparison to the sense of bereavement I now felt in my heart. There had been countless other women, some whose company I had enjoyed more than others, but besides Pam, none had left a lasting mark. Except… Edith.

Edith was a young widow I had met in Britain, during the first century after my turning. She had caught my eye one night during a village celebration Ocella and I were observing from a hidden spot, to hunt for potential prey, and she had enchanted me with the beauty of her features, the fieriness of her red hair and the exuberance of her dancing. She lived and breathed life, and when you are the companion of death - and death yourself - that was an irresistible quality.

I had entered the village after the feast, when the revellers were too drunk or too exhausted to notice the monster in their midst, and I had followed her to her modest abode. There, I had seduced her, only leaving when the call of dawn became unbearable. The next night, I had begged Ocella to allow us to linger around the village for one more night, rather than move on to the next one, as was our habit. To my surprise, he had agreed, and I had returned to Edith. That night, I had revealed my secret to her, and she had accepted me, the blood-sucking monster, into her bosom. Night after night, I had begged Ocella to let us stay just a little bit longer, and night after night, he had granted me my wish. I became bolder, visiting Edith a little bit earlier each evening, and I was soon contemplating making her my child and companion.

She called me her 'Northern Star', and I called her my 'Red Sun', and she was the first taste of happiness I had experienced in decades.

On the seventh night, I had sneaked into her hut to find her lifeless body drained of all blood. Ocella had been quietly sitting in a corner, and when I had turned my anguished gaze towards him, he had simply said:

"To love is to lose."

The days in the aftermath of Edith's murder had been some of the most harrowing I ever experienced in my miserable time with Ocella. My rage led me to rebel like never before, and Ocella's punishments had been terrible. Finally, I had quenched my fury, and had walled my heart. Ocella had been satisfied by the hardening he noticed in me, and had congratulated me on learning my lesson.

After that episode, I had promised myself that I would never allow myself to feel like that, vulnerable and out of control, ever again, and I had managed just that… until Sookie, that is. Except, what I felt for Sookie was incomparably more intense than anything I had experienced with Edith. Sookie wasn't a reprieve from a life of suffering at the hands of a cruel Master. She wasn't an erotic distraction from years of sexual coercion, or a reminder of a human life I still mourned for. No, Sookie was so much more. Our relationship was deeply rooted and had grown over many years, from protector, to friend, to confidant, to mentor, to admirer, to lover. I could now admit to myself that I had loved her for a long time… and that I had now fallen in love with her.

_To love is to lose._

Well, if that were truth, then I would rather love _and_ lose than lose Sookie because I dared not love her.

The next evening, I awoke feeling energised with purpose. The first thing I did, once the diurnal lethargy had dissipated, was to check the bond. I was almost afraid of what I might find (though at this point, I would have taken hatred over the numb buzz from last night) but my probing returned determination and excitement. I was pleased and relieved that Sookie's emotions had stabilized, but I couldn't help feeling hurt by her good mood. I was still reeling from our devastating fight and she was… excited?

I had thought long and hard last night, and come to the conclusion that Kato was behind Sookie's unreasonable behaviour. Her breakdown had been completely out of character, and while the underlying issues of trust and commitment might have been real concerns of hers, she would never have elected to deal with them in such an immature and ghastly way had she been in her right state of mind. The fact that the bond had obviously been tampered with (I had not been able to sense her feelings most of the evening, nor had I been able to feel her upset two nights ago during and after her interview with Kato), pointed right to my backstabbing brother.

Had he been a lesser Vampire, I would have already seized him, but Kato was very well connected, and very powerful. Dispatching him without a proper trial would endanger my position, and meeting head-on on the battlefield was dangerous. Not that danger had ever discouraged me before (on the contrary, I always welcomed a challenge), but I now had Sookie to consider: if I fell, she would be at the mercy of those who sought to exploit her. No, I would first strive to have the Law on my side, and if that failed, _then_ I would take to the sword.

My first order of business for tonight, I decided, would be to summon Kato to my office in order to extract the most information possible about his involvement with my lover's strange behaviour. Based on what learned, I would then decide on how to deal with him. As soon as the treacherous bastard was neutralised, I would begin my re-conquest of Sookie. I knew I would have a lot of grovelling to do: I had poorly handled the situation and said and done hurtful and insulting things to Sookie. I was so used to having my way with humans than, when faced with a conflict I couldn't glamour away, I had lost my self-control and lashed out.

But I would not give up so easily. I am Eric Fucking Northman, and hear me Gods: by the close of the weekend I would hold the smooth body of my lover in my arms.

When I checked my messages, I let out a curse. In a voice-mail, my day-man informed me that, as had been agreed, Annabelle had gone to Bon Temps to ward Adele and Jason's homes against hostile humans and Weres, as well as Fairies (to prevent the uninvited ones from teleporting right inside the house). After last night's fiasco, I had completely forgotten to cancel the witch's appointment. Since it was Saturday, Sookie had returned to Bon Temps in the morning, so she had surely come face to face with Annabelle. I wasn't certain that Sookie had shed all doubts regarding my (strictly professional) relationship with Annabelle, so it could complicate my charm offensive if she thought I was rubbing the witch in her face. His second message was even more distressing: before leaving for Bon Temps, Sookie had left a message for Kato at _Dragon House's_ reception , and my brother's own day-man had come to pick it up. Since Kato was almost as old as me, he was probably reading it right now. This had the potential to throw my plans into disarray, as there was a good chance he would be headed to Bon Temps, and I would then have no choice but to follow him and confront him there. Gods, I hated having to wash my dirty linen in public, and especially in front of my lover.

The second message was from Amy, who informed me that Sookie had met with her Fairy Godmother Claudine. I was not particularly enthusiastic about the reconciliation, but I accepted that this was Sookie's prerogative. This reminded me that I hadn't had any opportunity to have the Pallum ring examined by Annabelle to determine whether it really was what the Fairy claimed it to be, as had been my intention. I added that to the long list of reasons why I hated my brother.

The third message was a text from… Sookie! I opened it eagerly but was perplexed by the content:

_Please stay away from Bon Temps for the early part of the evening. Will explain everything. I'm sorry. Sookie._

I read it twice more, and it still made very little sense. She had used Swedish, which was a language of special significance to us, and she was apologising, so on the surface, it looked like I was once again in favour. But why was she asking me to stay away? Had she arranged a meeting with Kato she didn't want me to be privy to?

I agonized over what to do for several minutes before making the decision to trust her. I would wait for one hour after sundown before making my way to her, as much as it would cost me. In the meantime, I called Annabelle, but reached her voicemail three times. When I got to _Dragon House_, Soledad informed me that Kato had left the nest he was staying in at sundown, for destination unknown. I knew perfectly well where he had gone, but I would respect Sookie's wishes, for now. Kato was treading a fine line, and if he didn't present himself for registration by tomorrow midnight, he would be in violation of Vampire laws and I would be free to take matters into my own hands. Already, his interference with my legally-recognised pet was a great offence, but I would need more proof before I could effectively move against him.

About half an hour after sundown, I received a call from Sookie.

"Lover?" I called eagerly.

After a moment of silence, I heard Sookie's voice. It was muffled, as if her phone had been stuffed beneath a pillow, or under a thick piece of fabric.

- 'Kato, I'm over here,' she said, clearly not addressing me.

This was the scenario I had dreaded, and when I checked the bond once more, I was shocked to sense contentment. Sookie was _happy_ to see him?

- 'Sookie,' came Kato's muted voice.

- 'Please sit,' Sookie said. 'Thank you for coming.'

- 'I have to admit I was more than a little surprised when I received your message,' Kato declared, his voice now a little clearer. 'I thought you weren't well disposed towards me.'

- 'I'm sorry I lashed out at you. You told me some hard truths, truths that nobody else was willing to tell me, and I reacted by shooting the messenger.'

- 'Indeed…'

- 'Yes. Things came to a head with Eric last night, and I've realised I don't want anything to do with him anymore. I've had lots of time to think about my future today, and I've decided we needed to have a serious discussion about your offer.'

- 'My offer to teach you the ways of Magic?'

- 'Yes,' she replied. 'I'm seriously considering accepting.'

From the sounds I caught, I had deduced that Sookie and Kato were sitting on the porch swing, and that Sookie's phone was stuck in the pocket of her pants (jeans most likely). It was clear that she intended me to eavesdrop on her conversation with Kato and, as bad as it sounded, I tried hard not to draw any premature conclusions. I had to trust that Sookie was only pretending to betray me, because the alternative - that she was cruelly flaunting her treachery in my face - was just too heart-breaking to bear. The bond did not give any indication that her statements were insincere, which greatly worried me, but I resolved to listen to the rest of the conversation in silence.

- 'What made you change your mind?' Kato asked.

- 'The enormity of my actions has finally dawned on me. So many times have I looked with a critical eye upon the idiotic antics of my lovesick acquaintances and thought: I would never be that dumb; I would never be _that_ girl, losing her wits over a man. And yet, here I am, being _that_ girl on an epic scale. I foolishly wanted to believe that my first love would last forever, without even stopping to think whether or not my love was returned in the first place. Eric promised me a relationship of equals, but how could it be, if one is in love and the other never will be? He only wants my telepathy, my body and my blood, which would have been fine if only he had been honest about it from the beginning, but he made me believe we were in a real relationship. I though we were boyfriend and girlfriend, but we're really Master and pet.'

- 'Yes, my brother is a redoubtable seducer,' Kato commiserated. 'You are not the first woman to fall for his false charms.'

- 'I'm not blaming my actions on anyone but myself. I have made foolish choices and have set myself on a course to heartbreak. That was my doing. But I'm taking back control of my life, and I need you to help me do that.'

- 'And what part do you want me to play, exactly?'

- 'I have very few options. If I just run on my own, he'll find me because of the bond. I could go to the Queen for help, but she's even worse than he is. No, my only option is to find, and flee with, a powerful protector. Someone who isn't afraid to defy him… and who can sever the bond between us.'

- 'A blood bond cannot be severed, it can only fade with time. What I can do, however, is to block his end to ensure that he will not be able to sense you.'

- 'You can do that?'

- 'I have this power, yes.'

- 'How does that work, exactly?'

- 'Well, as you already know, I can manipulate the blood Magic of anyone who is blood bonded with me. What that means is that I can filter what information Eric receives through the bond he shares with you.'

- 'Wow! That's hugely impressive!' she enthused. 'Can you teach me how to do that?'

- 'I will teach you everything I know, sweet Sookie, as long as you agree to elope with me, and become …'

- 'And become your pet?' she finished.

- 'Student is a better term.'

- 'And I imagine that being your student comes with obligations, right?'

- 'I will ask that you Bond with me, but I would not exploit you, as my brother did. It is merely a precaution, and a means to facilitate your instruction.'

- 'OK. What about sex?'

- 'I will not take you against your will. Regular feedings, however, would be expected.'

- 'Naturally. So all I have to do is go away with you, Bond with you and let you bit me, and in exchange you'll teach me how to become a great witch and protect myself?'

- 'That is my offer, yes.'

- 'OK, that seems very fair to me. I just have a few more questions, if that's OK with you?'

- 'Ask away, sweet Sookie.'

- 'What types of Magic do you know? Like, you know Shinto Shamanism, obviously, and Demon Magic from what you told me. What about, say, Celtic Magic, or Native-American Shamanism?'

- 'I have mastery of every type of human Magic. They all derive from Demon Magic, so I can teach all of them to you.'

- 'God, that's wonderful. I've always had a special fascination with Native-American Shamanism. I especially love the idea of becoming a dream walker.'

- 'Ah, yes. Dream walking is a very subtle art. It require many years of training.'

- 'But you can teach me?' Sookie pressed excitedly. 'With time, I would be able to enter other people's dreams, that kind of thing?'

- 'Absolutely,' Kato replied confidently.

- 'God, I really can't wait! I'm just still a bit worried about the bond. Like, if I Bond with you, will you still be able to keep me hidden from Eric?'

- 'We've discussed this, sweet Sookie. I will block his end. I can do this with ease: my brother will not find you, or me, unless I want him to.'

- 'OK, that's good to hear. Just one last question: can you manipulate his emotions? Like send him feelings through the bond?'

- 'Why would I want to do that?' Kato asked, clearly puzzled.

- 'Because I want to make him suffer for breaking my heart. I want him to feel my pain and my distress. I want him to feel helpless and afraid, even if just for a minute. Can you do that for me?'

- 'I'm afraid not, sweet Sookie. He is a Vampire, so the only thing I can do to him is block or filter his end of the bond. Only our Maker could send him pain through the child/Maker bond. We call it 'The Call', and it is not a phenomenon I have ever managed to replicate, despite trying many times.'

- 'Oh, what a pity… But you could send emotions to me, since I'm human, right?'

- 'I… yes, suppose I could…' Kato trailed off, his voice full of confusion.

- 'Like you did yesterday evening?' Sookie asked innocently.

- 'I beg your pardon?'

- 'Yesterday, don't you remember? When you flooded me with fear, doubt, insecurity and anguish, transforming me into a paranoid, weepy and raging mess. Or like you did the night before, when you dream-walked into my mind while I was sleeping, concocted a bullshit vision showing Eric having sex with_ your_ former lover, the witch Annabelle; exploited all my insecurities to make me feel like shit, and then kept me awake all night by sending distress through the bond. By the way, I'm quite impressed with how thorough your plan was: I would have never made the connection between you and Annabelle if I hadn't thought to directly ask her about you when she came to ward my house this morning. I don't think Eric ever realized that you had steered her his way. I have to warn you though, you should keep away from her: she's absolutely furious with the way you've manipulated her, and she's sworn to hex your ass the next time she sees you.'

Her tone had gone from cheery to scathing as she spoke. I had taken to the skies as soon as I had realised what Sookie was doing, and I couldn't help grinning wickedly at the way my lover had played Kato like a fiddle.

- 'The dream was a nice touch, I'll admit,' she continued. 'You knew I would see it for the lie it was as soon as I dipped into Annabelle's head, but that didn't matter, did it? The aim was to induce a fight with Eric and to have him admit that he does not love me, right?'

Kato remained silent in the face of her accusations.

- 'But that was your biggest mistake, Kato, because Eric _does_ love me. He may have never said it, but every single one of his actions proves it. He has watched over me for years, and endangered himself by making powerful enemies in the process; he has nurtured and cared for me when I needed him; he has always respected my choices and listened to my voice, even though he could have crushed me with laughable ease; he has trusted me with his existence, allowing me to remain by his side during his day rest; he has defied his Queen and jeopardized his position in an attempt to buy me a few more years of peace; he has gone against his very nature by agreeing to a monogamous relationship with me in order to protect my feelings; he has shown incredible kindness and generosity to my family, and he has done countless other things whose importance you couldn't even begin to comprehend. Eric _does_ love me, and that is a fact.'

_Speechless_; I was absolutely speechless.

- 'How long have you known?' the dolt demanded.

- 'Since I woke up this morning and realized that I had banished from my life the man I love with all my heart during a psychotic breakdown. Since I sat down to think and woke up to the fact that both times I had ever seriously doubted Eric or become emotionally erratic happened right after I had a run-in with you. It's not true what they say about blondes, you know? That was your lesson for the night.'

- 'You've been misleading me all this time?' he seethed.

- 'Well, ain't you a clever boy?' Sookie replied, her tone full of sarcasm.

- 'That's impossible! I would have felt deceit through the bond.'

- 'You're not the only one who knows a little bit of Magic, buster. Annabelle gave me a very nice parting gift: it's called a Felicitus charm. Maybe you've heard of it? That's like happy pills for the soul, and is the reason why you've been feeling contentment and excitement through the bond, even though I hate your guts and have been lying through my teeth.'

- 'That kind of Magic would require a hugely powerful magical artefact…'

- 'Like a Pallum ring?' she cut in.

- 'I see,' Kato declared after a pause.

- 'Good for you. Now, I want you off my family's property. Eric should be on his way to me right now and I don't think you want to be here when he arrives.'

- 'I do not fear him,' Kato hissed.

- 'That's your prerogative, even though I'm fairly certain Eric could wipe the floor with you, but you really do take me for a complete idiot if you think I met you tonight without additional back-up, besides my boyfriend. Tell me, how are your battle skills against Fairies? Instant teleportation is a neat ability, don't you think? Perfect for stealth attacks. One sign from me and you'll be wrapped up in a silver net and staked before you can say 'Fairy Godmother'.'

There was a tense pause before Kato spat:

- 'You're making a big mistake.'

- 'I have many regrets, Kato, but I know I'll never regret telling you to go to hell, you miserable son of a bitch. I will never, ever, become your plaything, do you hear me? I am Eric's, and I have no intention of downgrading. And let's be frank: any man beside Eric is a downgrade, and that includes you. Leave!'

I heard a gust of wind, and knew that Kato had disappeared into the night. I was only 10 minutes away from Bon Temps now, and I wished Sookie had kept him put until my arrival, but I understood her desire to have my odious brother out of her sight.

When I landed on the gravel in front of Adele's house, Sookie was still on the porch. As I has surmised, she was wearing a pair of jeans and a fitted white button shirt. She was standing at the top of the porch stairs and was the most gorgeous creature I had ever beheld.

I closed the distance at a measured pace, savouring every second of this moment, ascending one step at a time until I was inches from her, my gaze boring into the deep blue pools of her irises. She was biting her lip adorably, looking at me with a hopeful yet nervous expression on her beautiful face. I cupped her cheeks, stroked the silky skin with my thumbs and, my eyes never leaving hers, I said:

"I love you."

She closed her eyes as she let out a breath of relief. When she opened them again, she was smiling brightly.

"I know," she breathed.

"I love you," I repeated.

"I _know_," she giggled.

"I love you, I love you, I love you."

"Now you're being clingy," she chuckled.

"I. Love. You," I insisted, unperturbed, punctuating each word with a kiss on her lips.

Her gaze had misted and tears were escaping from the corners of her eyes. I tenderly licked at the moisture and placed butterfly kisses over her cheeks and eyelids.

"I love you, too," she finally said in a voice thick with emotion.

"I know," I whispered back.

"Hey! That's my line," she jokingly protested.

"I'll send you a royalties check, my love," I replied, before claiming her lips in a long, deep kiss.

She lifted her arms to wrap them around my neck and her fingers dug into my hair. That was good, that was right, that was home.

"Eric, I'm so sorry I ever doubted you," she said after we broke off.

"And I'm sorry I ever gave you reason to doubt me," I responded. "I'm also sorry for the way I acted…"

"Hush, you were dealing with a madwoman. I consider myself lucky that you didn't wring my neck."

"Still, I should have reacted better," I insisted.

I let my fingers trail along her arms, until they reached the spots where I had so roughly gripped her.

"Did I bruise you?" I inquired, remembering my actions with shame.

"Eric, that wasn't us," she declared, cupping my cheek with one hand. "What happened last night does _not_ define us."

I knew she was right, and I let go of my guilt.

"Are you angry that I let Kato leave?" she asked. "I was afraid that if he were still here when you arrived, there might be a fight. Even with Claudine and Amy around, he's still very powerful, and I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

"I'm not angry, my love," I reassured her. "In fact, I am _so_ proud of you."

"Well, I had help from Annabelle and Claudine," she replied modestly. "And I'm sorry I didn't discuss the plan with you in advance, but I was afraid you would try to talk me out of it, or intervene before I could lull him into a false sense of security."

"I probably would have done just that, and I would have been wrong. You made the right call, my love. And do not worry yourself about Kato: by this time tomorrow, he will be officially banished from Louisiana for his attempt to steal the Queen's telepath. If he ever dares show his face again in this Queendom, Sophie-Anne will have him de-fanged and thrown into a silver coffin, in no time."

"Good. I've recorded everything, in case you need hard evidence of what he did to us," she said, disentangling herself from my embrace to lift an anodyne wooden crate from the surface of a table in the corner of the porch, under which a small hand-held camera had been hidden.

"You're learning fast," I smiled.

"Well, I've got the best teacher," she winked. "And the good thing about all this is that now, you'll look like a saint to the Queen, in comparison," she added with a chuckle.

I circled her waist once more, leaning forward until our foreheads touched, and purred:

"Oh lover, I am so _not_ a saint."

I bent to kiss her neck and she arched her back and exhaled deeply when I nibbled at her earlobe. Her breasts were brushing tantalisingly against my chest and I smelled the sweet scent of her arousal. Home indeed.

"Are you going to invite me in?" I whispered in her ear.

I knew perfectly well that I had never been uninvited from this house, but I wanted to hear her say it all the same. My hands found her ass and I hauled her up until her legs were wrapped around my waist. She laughed before linking her lust-filled gaze with mine.

"Eric, won't you come in?" she breathed.

I did not need to be asked twice. I carried her to her bedroom at Vampire speed, where I was determined to get her better acquainted with the devil in me.

* * *

**A/N**: So, this was kind of a monster chapter, but I wanted to get all the relationship angst out of the way. I don't think I will upload large chapters like that anymore: they're exhausting to write and edit (not to mention Beta), and they make it hard to stick to a schedule.

I was impressed by the number of reviewers who made correct guesses about Kato's actions and agenda. It's truly rewarding to have readers who pay attention to every detail.

On another note, I have scrapped the character galleries on my profile and replaced them with a **character chart**. It's a much neater format because everything is on a single page. So if you would like to see what the cast of _The Watcher_ looks like in my mind, head to my profile (there is a minor spoiler in the form of a character that I haven't introduced yet).

Thank you for reading. I still haven't decided exactly what happens next so I can't tell you the title of the chapter 19 yet, but I will update next Wednesday, hopefully.


	19. Erotica Universalis

**A/N**: I am sorry for the delay in posting, but real life took over. I hope you will find this update worth the wait.

* * *

_These arms of mine, they are yearning,_  
_Yearning from wanting you._

_And if you would let them hold you,_  
_Oh how grateful I will be._

_These arms of mine, they are burning,_  
_Burning from wanting you (...)_

_And if you would let them hold you,_  
_Oh how grateful I will be._

_Come on, come on please let them._  
_Just be my little woman._  
_Just be my lover (…)_

_- These Arms of mine _by Otis Redding

**Chapter 19 – EROTICA UNIVERSALIS**

**SPOV**

Waking up this morning, I had felt hungover and empty. In the aftermath of my hideous fight with Eric, I had been suffering from a thundering migraine, and an even more crippling emotional pain.

The evening, which had started so promisingly, had soon degenerated into a nightmare, as I had said and done things that filled me with horror. I had wanted nothing more than to lie in my bed and wallow in shame, but there had been no time for a pity party. I knew I had to find a way to clean up the appalling mess I had made of everything, so I had done the one thing that was always guaranteed to clear my mind: I went swimming.

After 50 laps and a 15-minute sauna session, I had felt calm, cool and collected enough to be able to sit down and think. Inferring Kato's role in the previous night's debacle had only taken me minutes. I had felt angered by his tampering, but even more by his obviously low opinion of my reasoning skills: his actions had been incredibly unsubtle, as if he thought me too dumb to notice his gross manipulations. To be honest, I had only myself to blame for the little credit that was given to my intelligence: in the course of three days, I had fallen into not one, but two, transparent traps set up by Vampires. In spite of Eric's patient teaching and many forewarnings about the duplicity I would encounter in the Supe world, I had displayed a disgraceful amount of naivety and injudiciousness, and as a result I had embarrassed myself.

I had decided right there and then that I would get the upper hand of Kato, and I would do it on my own terms. I had to prove to myself, and also to Eric, that I was not this wide-eyed idiot that couldn't handle herself in the shark pool. I had once declared to Soledad that I intended to be a worthy mate for Eric, and now was the time to make good on my pledge. I wanted, no, _needed_ to earn Eric's respect in addition to the trust and affection he already showered me with.

After driving back to Jason's apartment, I had formulated my plan. The idea was simple: take advantage of Kato's over-confidence to trick him into confessing his actions, and ensure that Eric was a witness to his profession of guilt, for good measure. Pleased with myself, I had written a note inviting Kato to meet me in Bon Temps at first dark, and I'd had Amy deliver the message to _Dragon House_. Jason had shown up soon after (he had spent the night at Tatiana's after reconciling with her) and I had jumped on the opportunity to borrow the small hand-held camera I knew he owned, before driving back to Bon Temps with Amy in tow.

Once home, I had walked to the Fairy Meadow for peace and privacy and summoned Claudine. The reconciliation with my cousin had been emotional and heavy with demonstrations of physical affection (Fairies are very tactile creatures), and after we had properly reconnected, I had recounted to her the events of the past two nights. Upon hearing my plan, she had immediately pledged her assistance, to my great relief. She had also pointed out the one flaw in my scheme: since Kato could feel my emotions though our blood blond, I would not be able to lie to him convincingly. My frustration at not having anticipated this complication was not relieved by Claudine's promise to look for a fix for my problem in Faerun. Time flew slower there, so in a few hours (human time) she could make many discreet inquiries, but the issue of the blood bond had threatened to de-rail my whole stratagem.

Luckily for me, I had run into Annabelle, the witch from my dream who had turned out to be a very real woman, when she came to ward the farmhouse. Conversing with her had provided me with the last few pieces of the Kato puzzle as well as a solution to my predicament. She had spelled my Pallum ring with a charm that would even out my outward mood, and filter the bond for negative emotions (which one felt when one lied), for a period of 24 hours.

Filled with renewed determination, I had spent the rest of afternoon practicing my katas and meditating until I had felt centered and relaxed enough to meet my enemy head-on. Two hours before sunset, I had taken a long bath, thoroughly groomed myself, and made the necessary arrangements to prepare for Kato's entrapment.

Fooling Kato had been easy: while we had discussed my 'elopement', he had never even asked me about my family, which showed how little he understood me. My efforts had been rewarded with complete success and my ordeal was finally over. I had won, and Eric was now holding me in his arms.

As his lips devoured mine, I internally said a prayer of gratitude to God. I had been so close to losing it all, and that only served to remind me how lucky I was to have found Eric so early in my life. How many women can say they found The One by the age of 17? I was so engrossed in our embrace that it took me a minute to realize that he had laid me on my bed, and was stretched out above me. My mind had gone blank as soon as he had claimed my lips back on the porch; that's how good my Vampire was.

When he broke the kiss, the stare he leveled at me was alive with a fire and intensity I had never seen in him before. It frightened me a little, to be honest.

"Sookie," he spoke, his voice hoarse, "tell me to stop, now."

"What do you mean? I don't want you to stop," I replied, mystified.

"Yes you do," he stated, closing his eyes. "You very much want to stop what I'm doing."

I suddenly became aware of the very large bulge boring into my thigh, just as Eric lowered his head to rest it against my shoulder. It was nothing new, really, but the novelty was in how hard Eric seemingly fought against his urges. I couldn't understand why, as the house was empty except for us, and I was more than willing to enjoy more foreplay hotness with him. Unless… unless foreplay wasn't the only thing on his mind. Unless he had decided that he couldn't wait after all, and promises be damned. The sudden realization sharply heightened my excitement. I bent my head into the crook of his neck, filling my nostrils with his delicious scent, and coyly kissed my way up his jaw line, relishing his soft groans. When I reached his earlobe, I playfully bit it before whispering into his ear:

"Tell me, what are you doing?"

"I am crashing through ten layers of control, that's what I'm doing," he practically growled. "Sookie, I want you so badly it actually hurts."

I tightened my grasp of his shoulders and said:

"Control is overrated. I don't want you to stop."

Feeling a sudden rush of boldness, I added:

"I don't want you to stop until I'm screaming your name."

At my words, Eric raised his head and gave me a questioning, and slightly wary, look. It was obvious he wanted to be sure that I really understood what he was saying, and what I was asking. I knew my boyfriend well enough to know that unless I made my desires explicit, he would simply find a way to restrain himself, or even leave if he failed to do so, and I couldn't have that. I was over waiting, beyond over… and horny as hell, too. I took a deep breath and, never breaking eye contact, I declared:

"I want you to make love to me."

He was silent for a minute, his mouth twice opening as if to say something, but closing immediately. In the end, he made an unexpected request:

"Sookie, would you please take your ring off?" he calmly asked, while sitting up.

I had completely forgot about the Pallum ring, but I could see how my wearing it would be of concern to him, as it would hide any fear or reluctance I might feel. I sat up and slid the band of my finger. Immediately, I sensed the magical influence wash off me as the bond was restored to normal. Eric shuddered slightly as the full brunt of my love and lust, which had previously been dampened by the spell, hit him.

"Ask me again, my love," he commanded.

"I want you to make love to me," I repeated unhesitatingly.

A slow grin spread across his lips and after gazing at me for a few more moments, he eventually said those simple words that I knew would change everything:

"As you wish."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as he began undressing me, with a slow care that was heart-breaking in its tenderness. My shirt went first. Instead of ripping it, Eric unhooked each button without haste, then slid the cotton fabric off my shoulders and down onto the floor. His eyes lingered on my breasts for a few seconds before he leaned closer to me in order to reach behind my back and unhook my bra (I had opted for a simple white cotton set, as my fine lingerie was in my cupboards in Shreveport). As he placed delicate kisses on my shoulders that left me shivering, I took advantage of his position to tug at the hem of his tank top. He docilely lifted his arms to allow me to take his top off, and then it was my turn to ogle. I quickly discarded the now loose bra (earning myself a whispered 'perfection') before putting my hands flat against his chest. I couldn't hold back the gasp of admiration as I caressed the flawless expanse of skin, my thumbs lingering on the pinkish nipples, the one note of color on his otherwise alabaster chest. His shiver as I tilted forwards to gently nibble and lick a nipple, then the other, gave me great satisfaction. I slid my hands down to continue my exploration, over his beautifully taut stomach (bump, bump, bump) and then lower to where a few strands of pale hair announced the treasure that lay beneath.

When I squeezed his bulge, through his dark jeans, he hissed and had me pinned back down the bed in a flutter. My jeans were gone in a flash, and so were his, and he was soon straddling me on the bed, gloriously naked. He steered my hand aside when I tried to take hold of his erection, and instead bent to give me an all-consuming kiss that made my toes curl and my sex dampen. His hand traveled across my breasts, fondling and teasing them until I was moaning with pleasure, then he lowered a hand and snuck it into my panties. His fingers found me wet and wanting, and he groaned his appreciation. I arched my back when he began probing me with dexterity.

"Yes lover, dance for me," he purred. "Soon I'll make you sing."

His mouth went to my nipples, and then back to my mouth as his strong digits brought me to my first orgasm, while his other hand never stopped exploring my body.

I barely had a moment of respite before he abruptly dropped on his knees on the floor, pulling my body with him until my ass was resting on the edge on the bed, and my legs were slung over his shoulders. My poor panties were torn off and haphazardly thrown across the room. He didn't even have to demand I watch him. I knew that was what he wanted, and when we made eye contact, he gave me a fangy grin, his chiseled face looking eerily beautiful in the pale moonlight, and then sank his canines into the tender flesh of my thigh and began drinking hungrily. I cried out in pain and pleasure, and let me tell you, those two feelings, combined in equal measure, produce an extraordinary result. Soon, however, I was only experiencing pleasure, as my second orgasm built up. Eric stopped drinking with a satisfied sigh, only to latch onto my inner lips, his cool tongue lapping at the liquid fire between my thighs, caressing my clit, teasing my entrance, driving me insane with lust. His soft lips were not idle either, suckling and kissing and nipping at my most sensitive nerve endings. I wove my fingers in his hair, holding his head down and pressing the sides of his face between my inner thighs with a ferocity that surprised even myself, as I came violently.

My chest was still heaving from the aftermath of my climax when Eric made his way up my body, and back onto the bed.

"You are a god," I gasped before I could help myself, and then I blushed with embarrassment at the corniness of my statement.

Eric chuckled and said with a cocky grin:

"Yes I am, now that I have tasted the dual ambrosia of your blood and your sweet juices."

His lips were still glistening with my 'sweet juices', but that didn't stop me from kissing him with all I had. I reached between us to grasp at his cock, massaging him the best I could while rubbing my groin against his. Eric moaned into my mouth and slithered his palms under my ass to bring my lower body closer. I withdrew my hands so that our sexes could freely rub against each other. Between my moans and his groans, we filled the air with the immemorial sounds of love-making. As the head of his cock bumped against my swollen clit, the jolt of pleasure stretching out when his shaft followed in a protracted caress, I jerked up and cried out:

"Oh God! Eric, now! I want you now!"

"Soon, my love," he grunted, the strain evident in his voice. "Soon."

He lifted his hips high enough to leave room for his hand, and slid one finger into me, then another. I was so moist that I could clearly hear the wet sounds his phalanges made as they glided in and out of my sex. I became alarmed when he slipped a third digit, but he quickly rearranged his fingers so that I was not spread too uncomfortably. I understood why he was doing that: his WMD demanded some preparation.

"You are so fucking wet, lover, I could fill a cup with your arousal," he whispered into my ear, making me whimper lustily.

His fingers worked craftily at preparing me, opening and stretching my inner walls, while his thumb was busy drawing light circles over my clitoris (which was too raw to bear any heavy petting). His other arm was bent behind my head, holding up his weight so that he would not crush me. His clitoral massage caused me to pant, but the pleasure was not intense enough to cause me to orgasm due to the slight discomfort, and we both knew that it was now or never. Our eyes met, his clouded over with pure desire, and he declared apologetically:

"It will hurt a bit; forgive me, my love. I will make it up to you, many times over, I promise you this."

My only answer was to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him in acceptance. I was beyond ready for this.

A sharp gasp escaped my lips as he pushed into me, his girth taking me by surprise. I had held him in my hands, and in my mouth, but he suddenly felt so much more imposing than before. I knew the instant he broke my barrier as the pain levels peaked sharply before coming down again. Eric must have sensed my discomfort because he paused for a moment, gently kissed my lips and caressed my inner thighs before renewing his attentions to my clit, which was no longer over-sensitized.

"My love," he simply said.

"I love you," I replied, my voice thick with emotion.

When he resumed his forward motion, I felt a wave of panic rise in my chest: was it not over yet? A quick look down there told me it had hardly begun. Inch by glorious inch, my Vampire slid inside me. Eric never ceased to stimulate my clitoris so that every prickle of sharp pain was balanced by a wave of pleasure. My eyes were screwed shut and small whimpers escaped my mouth at regular intervals. Never stopping his ministrations, Eric commanded:

"Look at me, lover."

He waited until I opened my eyes to continue:

"Focus on me, my love, only me. There is nothing but us."

And with that, he laid a searing kiss on me. I mirrored his passion and lost myself in the moment. I was so taken with the caresses of his lips and tongue that I did not immediately realize he had ceased to move and was now casually resting over me. I broke off from his kiss and looked down my body. He was all the way in. When I looked back up, he had a smug half-smirk on his face. I had to laugh at his cockiness.

"How are the lodgings down there, good sir?" I said with a truly awful attempt at an English accent.

Eric brought his fingertips to his mouth and kissed them loudly.

"Absolutely first rate!"

We were both laughing now, and I wiggled slightly to better accommodate his considerable girth. I found that the slight lateral motion was actually very pleasant so I began to slowly balance my hips from left to right, in a sort of pendulum motion. With each swing, my comfort increased, and the feel of him inside me became ever more pleasurable.

Eric was visibly enjoying the swaying of my hips and I became increasingly brazen with my movements as I felt pleasure winning its duel with pain. Soon I was softly moaning at the delicious sensations building in my lower abdomen.

Eric had been relatively still during these proceedings but he now decided to take back the initiative. Taking hold of my hip, he began a rhythmic motion of his own: he retreated slowly before plunging back in, the scope of his motion increasing with each cycle. He then added a quirk to his pumping motion, rolling his hips to form a figure of eight between my thighs. When I rewarded the new addition with a loud groan and the arching of my back, he increased his cadence.

"Oh, _God_… Yes…" I hissed.

I could feel my orgasm begin to roar, and I could tell it was going to be more intense than anything I'd experienced so far. Our combined motions created incredible sensations and I could sense muscles I didn't even know existed being awakened and put to good use. My breath was becoming shallow and I was losing awareness of the situation and control over my body . Still, I grappled at my thin hold on reality: I was on the edge of a precipice and the unknown is a very scary thing indeed.

As if he could surmise my state of mind, Eric chose this moment to whisper in my ear:

"Let go, my love."

It was the small push I needed.

My orgasm washed over me like a tidal wave. I lost all rational thought and mumbled incoherent strings of words. It went on and on I began to think I would never touch the ground ever again. When the sensory explosion subsided, I realized I was holding onto Eric's back for dear life. My fingertips were plunged so deeply into his powerful shoulders that I was certain I had broken the skin with my nails. My breath was still erratic when I said:

"Oh God, Eric… Oh. My. God."

OK, that will not go down as my most eloquent moment but give me a break, will you? My brains had just imploded and grown back in the span of a few minutes.

Eric was marking a trail of soft kisses all over my face, nudging me with his nose tip and purring contentedly. When I had regained enough countenance, I loosened the death grip I had on his back and claimed his mouth with a tender kiss. After we broke off I asked:

"Eric, did you..?"

The huge smile illuminating his face gave me all the answers I needed.

"Oh yes! Lover, you were amazing."

I giggled and bit my lower lip. I thought his praise was surely exaggerated but chose not to voice my skepticism.

"Beginner's luck," I shrugged instead.

Eric gave me one more kiss before gently pulling himself out and rolling on his side.

"Now that the unpleasant part of the evening is over, we can get to the real fun."

The _unpleasant_ part of the evening? Wait! _What_?

Eric chuckled at the look of astonishment no doubt gracing my face.

"What, lover? You did not seriously think this was the best I could do?" He raised an eyebrow for good measure. "O woman of little faith."

I shook my head at my Vampire's overdeveloped ego and decided to show him that two could play at this game.

Rolling to my side and sliding close to his body to position myself strategically, I grabbed a handful of one of his museum-worthy ass cheeks and begun slowly raking my nails all over the delicate surface, marking the skin. All the while I raised my head and latched onto the base of his neck, alternating a suction motion (as if to give him a hickey) and playful little bites. Eric closed his eyes and moaned softly at the mixture of pain and pleasure, which I knew from experience to be exquisite (even though his tolerance for pain was virtually unlimited, he was still aware of the sensation). After a last pinch of his ass, followed by a little slap that startled him, I lowered my hand to pull his thigh over mine so I could reach his balls, which I promptly squeezed, causing him to hiss and tense. When I had him exactly where I wanted him, I stopped my ministrations and waited for him to open his eyes.

His gaze was clouded with lust and he was almost pouting in disappointment at my interrupted attentions. I raised an eyebrow of my own and said in the same teasing tone he has used:

"What, Viking? You did not think that was the best _I_ could do?"

He threw his head back to laugh then conceded:

"It seems I have found my match in all things."

"And don't you ever forget it," I chuckled in response.

My laughter died on my lips as I felt his very erect penis nudge against me. He was ready again, and so was I. Thanks to his blood, which still lingered in my system, I didn't feel sore in any way, so I pushed back his leg and put mine over his instead, to make it clear that I was ready to go.

Eric took hold of my ass as he entered me once more. His cock filled me so fully that for a moment I wondered whether his healing blood had restored my Virgin status; but this time there was no pain, only the amazing feeling of soft friction and velvety skin. This time, I was more self-assured, firmly undulating my body against his, letting my hands boldly trail over his flesh, even daring a bit of dirty talk to spur him on. Being on my side was a very interesting (and pleasurable) experience as he hit different spots from before, and because I kept my eyes open, I was able to watch the changes of his expression as his own peak neared. It was the sexiest thing I'd seen yet. We came almost simultaneously, our bodies intertwined so tightly that an external observer would probably not have been able to say where he began and where I finished.

Afterwards, we lay quietly on the bed, him on his back and me sprawled against his torso. I was blissfully happy, but I could sense that Eric had something on his mind, as a small frown line marked his forehead and his gaze was thoughtful.

"What troubles you, Eric?"

He didn't meet my eyes as he said:

"I wish I had waited until after tonight to give you my blood."

"Why on earth would you say that?" I asked in disbelief.

"I fear that you might wake up one day and wonder what part of your actions were guided by your own desires and emotions and what part was the influence of my blood."

I giggled and cupped his cheek in my hand.

"Oh, Eric."

I waited until he lowered his eyes to look at me before proceeding:

"I didn't yield to you because of some chemical illusion. I yielded to you because you're the damn sexiest man I've ever met, and because I love you."

Eric gave me a tender smile and quipped with a raised eyebrow:

"I know."

I playfully elbowed him in the ribs and told him I would be expecting a huge royalty check.

"I have wanted you for a long time," I added after a pause. "I've been having sex dreams about you since I was 14."

"That was my blood…"

"No, that was me," I jumped in. "Your blood had faded from my system by then, and anyway the dreams I had of you when I was 'under the influence' were very different: they were suggestive, rather than explicit. I used to dream of your naked body, of you kissing me, that kind of thing. It was enough to make me feel flustered, but it wasn't anything really hardcore. When I began dreaming of you on my own account is when things became hardcore."

"I wouldn't have had sex with you when you were 14," he remarked.

"I know that. I'm just establishing that your blood had very little to do with how much I lust after you."

"Point taken," he nodded.

"When did you start lusting after me?" I inquired, as it was something I'd been wondering about.

"In earnest? From the night I came back to you, in Jason's apartment. You were _so_ beautiful. I knew you would be beautiful, because I'd kept tabs on you and, of course, I had come close to you on your 16th birthday, but you really blew my mind that night. I was hard even before you invited me in."

"Yeah, I kind of noticed," I giggled.

"Had you not been untouched, I think the night would have gone very differently…"

"I think so too. Image the amazing make-up sex we could have had after our fight."

"I don't think we can ever beat the amazing make-up sex that we just had."

"Oh, I'm sure there's room for improvement," I teased.

"I look forward to it," he replied with a wicked smile. "Not the fighting, obviously, but the sex. Always the sex."

"I don't think I'll ever be tired of making love to you."

"I hoped you would say that, considering it's only our first night," he laughed. "But I'm glad we didn't have sex that night. It would have been a disaster for us. I wasn't ready then to offer you the kind of commitment you would have demanded from me afterwards, and you would have come to resent me, even hate me, perhaps."

"I could never hate you, Eric," I protested.

The very thought seemed abhorrent in my eyes. Even yesterday, at the height of my hysteria, I had felt hurt beyond belief, and angry, but I had not hated him.

"There is a fine line between love and hate, my love. I would have fucked up badly, I know it. It was a blessing that you were a virgin then."

"So you don't regret that we didn't wait until later? I mean, you don't think we've moved too fast?"

I knew I had no regrets, but I wanted to make sure he didn't either. Eric had always been very protective of me and at one point was almost a father figure, which might sound perverted considering I'd just had mind-boggling sex with him (twice), but let's be clear, I had not seen Eric in this light for a very, very long time. However, I felt slightly insecure about my youth, and whether he really saw me as a woman rather than a girl, after watching me grow all these years (something Kato had made sure to exploit).

"No, why?" he replied with a shrug. "Physically, you are a woman; intellectually, you are an adult, you've proven that. And emotionally… well, you're my mate. So no, I don't see we had any reason to wait any longer."

"Your mate?" I raised an eyebrow. "You've called me that once, and I love it, but what does it mean to you?"

"Everything. My love, my other half, my woman, my mate. It's all the same thing to me."

"Your wife?" I shyly suggested.

"More than a wife, my love. 'Divorcing' me would not be so easy. I will not let go of you, now."

"Good. I'm not letting go of you, ever."

"Good," he replied with a satisfied smirk.

While we were speaking, I had felt a dampness between my thighs that I knew wasn't my arousal. I twisted my body to investigate, and the odd moisture turned out to be a mixture of my blood and Eric's pleasure. I was a bit grossed out by the visual, to be honest, and I was grateful when Eric wordlessly carried me to the bathroom. There, he put me beneath the shower head, turned on the water and proceeded to offer me the most sensual wash I had ever experienced. We didn't actually have sex, but the way he lathered my body with soap, scrubbing and massaging every inch of my body, was incredibly erotic. I actually didn't feel as self-conscious as I thought I would about giving him access to all of me. The fact that we had just experienced the most intimate act of sharing you could possibly have with somebody (besides pregnancy) certainly helped me with my lack of inhibition. After he was done, I returned the favor, and as I was lathering his ass (lingering on my favorite area of his body for far longer than was necessary), I discovered something interesting: Eric apparently liked to have his… well his _anus_ stimulated. That kind of surprised me but then I remembered that he had some experience with men. Maybe that was why he liked that? Or maybe all men did? I would have to look it up. In the meantime, I filed this tidbit for later use. I was pretty content to have fairly vanilla sex for a while, but I would remember that fact when I wanted to make things a bit kinkier.

After the shower, we toweled each other down before drying and brushing our hair. The domesticity of the process was oddly heart-warming, and I caught myself wishing that I could live with Eric full-time. He hadn't offered, of course, and anyway I was off to University campus in three weeks, but it was a nice idea nonetheless.

When my stomach growled rudely, Eric went downstairs to fetch me some food. While he was gone, I changed the stained sheets on the bed (not that I was under any illusion that the fresh linen would remain clean for long, but I drew the line at hymen blood). Eric came back with a large slab of the chocolate cake I had baked at lunch, a banana and a glass of milk. I thanked him and wolfed down the whole thing in five minutes. Turns out, great sex uses a lot of calories.

The cake was a Gran recipe, so my mind inevitably wandered towards my grandmother.

"Eric?" I said once we were both back cuddling on the bed.

"Hum?"

"I won't lie to Gran, you know," I stated. "If she asks, and I'm pretty sure she will, I will tell her the truth."

"Of course, my love. Though considering she practically threw us into bed together, I think she might already suspect what has transpired tonight."

"She what?" I exclaimed, rearing my head up to look at him.

"I might be slightly exaggerating," he replied with a laugh. "But she did release me from my promise. I did not have to break any oath tonight."

"When?" I blurted out.

I was taken aback to say the least.

"We had a talk yesterday. The topic came up."

"Oh, you mean when she was asking you if you loved me?"

"Yes, that very talk. I don't see why you are so shocked by her decision, really. Your Gran is very conservative about the things that deserve to be protected, such as courtesy, public decency and womanly graces, but she is very forward-thinking in many other respects. She is incredibly tolerant of me, for example, and thinks nothing of letting a Vampire date her granddaughter, because she has decided that I have your best interests at heart. That's quite extraordinary. In comparison, her acceptance of the fact that you are old enough to have a sex life while in a committed relationship with the man you love is rather negligible."

"I guess you're right," I admitted. "Gran has always been a class act. And, as I've discovered, quite a bit naughtier than I originally thought. "

"Yes, the Stackhouse women tend to be full of surprises, it seems," he smirked.

Now that my mind had been put at ease, I was in the mood for a rematch, and I began fondling Eric under the sheet. Alas, he had other things on his mind, and he gently put my hand aside.

"Sookie, there is one more thing we need to talk about," he spoke in a serious tone that didn't augur anything good.

"OK," I said warily.

"I know you would rather we act as if yesterday never happened, but I think we need to discuss some of the things you said."

"Do we?" I uttered somberly, feeling once again the sting of shame.

"My love, I am not angry at you, or disappointed by your actions," Eric asserted, lifting my chin with his fingers until our eyes met. "I know you, and I know that what I saw yesterday was not my Sookie, but an alien creature puppeteered by Kato. However, as deceitful as my brother may be, he does have a knack for stumbling upon truths. While your actions and reactions were not genuine, I believe the root concerns were, and I want to address them."

"OK," I agreed sullenly.

"Good," Eric nodded, soothingly stroking my hair.

I rearranged myself over him so that we were facing each other, my forearms crisscrossed across his chest and my head resting over them.

"I think we can agree that there are three main issues you feel insecure about," he began. "One, you fear that you will not be enough for me sexually, and I will stray. Two, you fear I may have an hidden agenda, and three, you fear I do not respect your intellect because you are still young."

"Eric.." I started to protest.

"Hush, my love. I said 'fear', not 'believe'. You are allowed to fear things you do know not to be truth. I just want to address these matters once and for all, so that we can properly move on."

I nodded my assent. A guy who liked to have relationship talks, wow! Had I hit the jackpot or what?

"There is one thing you really must understand about me, Sookie: I am extremely selfish. My well-being is always first in my mind, and then comes that of a select few others."

He must have sensed my utter confusion through the bond, because he paused to give me a wink. I had expected a great declaration of love, not a profession of _self_-love!

"My self-absorption is the reason why, as long as we are together, I will never go looking elsewhere for sex. Not because I'm such an upstanding good guy, but because I'm a selfish bastard who is always looking out for his own interests. And the fact is that I enjoy having sex with you more than anything, and I want you to keep on fucking me, as often and for as long, as possible, so I'll never do anything that would make you _not_ want to fuck me, so that means no cheating. That's the sum total of it, really. I care about your feelings, of course, but you should put more stock in my tendency to look out for myself. It's an even better way to predict my behavior."

He gave me a deadpan look but I saw right through it and chuckled.

"Based on the same reasoning," he carried on with a small smirk. "I would not lie and exploit you because it wouldn't work to my advantage either. You respond extraordinary well to trust and honesty, so I know I'll get more out of you, both professionally and personally, if I treat you with respect. You're willing to accept the downsides of my nature and position, so there is no point in bullshitting you. We share a blood bond, which will in time become permanent, and feeling your hostility or contempt for me on a permanent basis would not be fun for me, so you have to trust that I will always act in a way that will earn me, and allow me to keep, your trust. Lastly, you make me happy. You make me _incredibly_ happy. I have had a small taste of what my life would be without you in it, and I do not want to experience that ever again. I'll always be good to you, if only because you're so good to me, and _I_ want to keep feeling that way."

"OK, you big egomaniac, what about my brains?"

"I would not date an airhead. Fuck, sure, but an actual relationship?" he raised an eyebrow. "I have a low tolerance for bullshit, you know that. Besides, you just out-foxed my Machiavellian brother without breaking a sweat. If I had any doubt about your capabilities, which I never had, they would have dissipated by now. Tying myself to an idiot would weaken me, so again, not in my best interests."

I smiled up at him, knowing exactly what he was doing. Eric wasn't a selfish bastard. Well, he was, but not when it came to me. But he was giving me a lifeline, something pseudo-rational to hang on to when things got rough between us, so that I wouldn't be left alone with my emotions. It was as sweet as it was clever.

"And you love me," I added to his list with a knowing look.

"Yes," he nodded. "I'll admit that plays a role in my decision-making, too."

I pushed myself up so as to reach his face, and made out with him for a while. His wandering fingers had me all hot and bothered in no time but I decided he should get a treat after all the pleasure he had given me, so I scooted down under the sheets and took him in my mouth, using the little tricks he had thought me back in NOLA. I absolutely loved how his body reacted to my touch. His complete abandon filled me not so much with a sense of power but rather with a sense of communion. I was the one providing him with such pleasure, and he was trusting me implicitly with the most sensitive part of his anatomy, and while countless other women had been there, I was one of the very few who could boast that he cared about the person and not just the orifice. I wanted to make him orgasm, but Eric stopped me after a few minutes and pulled me up.

"I want you on top of me," he answered in response to my questioning stare.

I did not have to be told twice and immediately straddled him. His hands got busy at once (my breasts - which seemed to fascinate him - earning special attention), as I slightly lifted my ass to put some distance between our bodies, then took hold of his cock, guiding it to my sex and rubbing the glans over my slit. I moaned at the delightful caress and the pressure on my clit and heard Eric make little sounds of pleasure of his own. I felt him tense under me and the urgent way he took hold of my thighs and pushed his hips forwards informed me that he was aching for more. As I was myself dripping with arousal, I decided to put both of us out of our misery and I placed his sex at my entrance. I raised my head to make direct eye contact with him and smirked when I saw that his face was contorted with pure want.

"Fuck me," he sighed, and I just about lost it.

Never breaking eye contact, I slowly lowered myself on him. Eric's eyelids shut and his head jerked back as he chanted my name is a low moan. When I was fully impaled, I started to ride him, slowly at first, and then with increasing intensity. Remembering the move I had so loved during our very first round of the night, I began rolling my hips in a sweeping figure of eight while still riding him. Eric grabbed my ass with both hands to keep us firmly joined while he thrust in and out of me.

When he came with a feral growl, he arched his back and thrust his hips in the air, taking me with him on an orgasmic roller-coaster. My own intense climax followed only a couple of seconds behind his and I clenched around his throbbing cock, prolonging his pleasure, milking him for all he was worth, while we were both shouting incoherent obscenities.

I collapsed on his chest and we were both speechless for a few minutes, me panting erratically, him muttering in what sounded like garbled Swedish. When my breath had evened out, I turned my head to kiss his chin.

"What are you saying, baby?"

He nuzzled into my hair, and I knew I was only getting away with calling him baby because I'd just screwed his brains out.

"A thousand years…" he began, "a thousand years' worth of experience and, in your arms, everything is fresh and new again. You are fucking incredible, lover."

I could say exactly the same thing about his skills. That last orgasm was definitely the best so far. He began stroking my hair and we remained quietly motionless, drawing out the moment. Before long, though, I could feel him harden again inside me. _Dear God_, that man was a machine!

"Jesus, Eric! Did you drain an Energizer Bunny?" I exclaimed, drawing a belly laugh out of him.

Thinking of electric bunnies called to mind the Rampant Rabbit Scarlett had gifted me for my 16th birthday and I giggled at the memory.

"What's so funny?" Eric asked.

"Nothing; I was just thinking about the sex toy one of my friends once gave me as a 'joke' birthday present. It was bright pink and totally ridiculous looking."

"A vibrator?" he said, and I nodded. "Oh, you'll never need one of those again, lover," he stated with a smug smile.

Before I had time to respond, he had pushed me back up into a sitting position and his whole body began to blur in front of my eyes. The titillation and quivering spreading in my lower abdomen informed me that he was, in fact, vibrating. The wonderful sensations I was experiencing made it crystal clear why those silly-looking contraptions were such best-sellers (not that I believed for a second that they could compare in any way to my real 'live' Vampire).

When he slowed his motion down to a halt, I plopped down on him, moaning.

"Oh God…"

"You say that a lot, lover. I wish you'd just call me Eric, really," he deadpanned.

I giggled and playfully slapped his chest.

"That was so lame!"

"Well, it got a laugh out of you, didn't it?" he replied with a smirk.

"What you just did was pretty kick-ass," I breathed.

"I'm not averse to using that particular technique from time to time but, in my experience, it brings climax much too fast, and I like nothing more than to draw out pleasure."

The way he purred the last few words had me instantly hot and bothered – not that he'd given me a lot of opportunities to simmer down since the start of our sex-a-thon – but I seriously questioned whether my body could take any more loving. I didn't really want my tombstone to read 'Sookie Stackhouse, Beloved Granddaughter and Sister, Fucked to Death'. Still, Eric could be very persuasive… and always got was he wanted. And right now, what he wanted was to introduce me to the delights of the 69 position. Well, let me tell you, it isn't as easy as it sounds, but once you get the hang of it, it is very, _very_ satisfying.

That last orgasm took all the energy I had left in me, and I rolled onto my side as soon as we were done. Eric hoisted me back in the proper direction and re-arranged our bodies so we were snuggling (my Vampire was a big snuggler, which I was immensely grateful for). He wordlessly bent his head to place a lingering kiss on my lips, embracing me and wrapping his long legs around mine until our bodies were completely entwined. As soon as he broke off the kiss, I allowed myself to give in to the feeling of sheer exhaustion and let sleepiness take over me. My eyes had barely closed when my Vampire spoke:

"Sookie?" he said huskily.

"God! Eric, no! I can't anymore! Not even with your blood..."

Eric laughed heartily at my protests.

"Do you think me a Satyr?"

"I'm pretty sure Satyrs think you're over-sexed," I mumbled.

He chuckled.

"I will not cheat you of your sleep, lover. You must rest now, as you will not be getting much of that when I rise again tomorrow night."

I giggled into his chest. I might have also mumbled something like 'damn sex machine'. Eric cradled me closer to him and I felt myself drift off again. Just as Morpheus was about to claim me, Eric's voice reached me, barely a whisper:

"Sookie?"

"Mmmmm…"

"I love you."

* * *

**A/N**: So? Was it good for you? Let me know...

The title of this chapter is borrowed from one of my favorite books, a two volumes anthology of adult art published by _Tashen_. I cannot pimp that book hard enough: from fertility rock painting to Victorian 'vignettes', from Picasso to Robert Crumb, everything is in there. You should definitely check it out.

On a more serious note, I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to all of my readers, for sticking with this story week after week. Your loyalty is incredibly gratifying.

I am extra thankful to those among you who have been kind enough to leave reviews. _The Watcher_ is now a proud member of the **1,000 year-old Viking Club**, and I owe this to you, and to my wonderful Beta **All About Eric**, who is far too humble about her contribution to this story. When I started this fic - my very first attempt at writing - I never thought I would be blessed with such an overwhelming response. Also, I have temporarily enabled anonymous reviews, so see how it goes, but I encourage every reviewer to create a FF account (it's free and easy) so that I can answer your comments, criticism and questions via PM.

Thank you for reading. I will not update next week but after that updates should be frequent once again.


	20. A Clear Mind

_He war he war  
He will kill for you  
He war he war  
He will kill for you  
From who you can  
You know you can _

_- He War_ by Cat Power

**Chapter 20 – A CLEAR MIND**

**SPOV**

I was stirred from my sleep by the sunlight filtering through the drawn curtains. My first instinct was to reach out for my boyfriend, but my bed was predictably empty (as evidenced by the brightness filling it, my bedroom wasn't lightproof). I then became aware of a sweet-tasting, sticky substance coating my tongue, which I realized was Eric's blood even though I couldn't remember feeding from him last night. Rubbing the torpor from my eyes, I stretched indolently. As my arm came in contact with my extra pillow, I felt something brush against my skin. I turned my head to the side to investigate and smiled when I saw that it was a note. Eric had used a page from an old _Pink Panther_ notepad, so the sheet was adorned with the girlish cartoon character, in stark contrast with his elegant script.

_Lover,_

_I hope you are fully rested. Leaving you this_

_morning was unpleasant to say the least, so _

_erecting a light-proof shelter within the farm- _

_house is now top priority. I have taken the _

_liberty of feeding you some of my blood as _

_you slept in order to prevent any soreness._

_You should expect a visit from contractors _

_from the firm __Exsure__, who will be inspec-_

_ting the farmhouse, at around 10 a.m., as _

_well as an extra Were guard named Reiss _

_Daner. I will explain further this evening._

_Until then, my love…_

_E -_

After reading Eric's letter, I dropped my shields to scan the area and I found his void about five miles away, in the basement of the training dojo. I also felt the brain signatures of two Weres on the porch. One was Amy, and the other was a stranger, who I correctly assumed to be Reiss Daner. His thoughts, while hazy, weren't hostile, so I put my shields back up (not that I was overly worried for my safety: thanks to Annabelle's wards, no one with nefarious intentions would have been able to come that close to the house).

After luxuriating a few more minutes in the bed, I stood up and walked up the full-length mirror to examine my naked body. I don't know what I was expecting but I was slightly surprised not to notice any change in my appearance. I was still good old Sookie, and beside the lingering evidence of Eric's pleasure between my inner thighs - and my exceptionally good complexion - there wasn't any real hint that last night had been any different from usual.

I did _feel_ different, though. It wasn't so much that I felt more like a woman or anything cliché'd like that (I didn't think sex alone could make a woman out of a girl), but I sensed a new strength in me. Last night I had opened myself, body and soul, to the man I loved, and I had emerged from the experience closer to him than ever.

After taking a long, hot shower, I went downstairs and ate some pancakes with jam for breakfast (I forewent coffee, as Eric's blood made that old addiction of mine somewhat redundant). By the time I was finished, it was already 9h30, so I began planning my day. I had intended to spend Saturday with Scarlett, but after Friday's fiasco that had not been an option anymore, so today I would make it up to her. I texted her to confirm that I would be at her house in one hour and would drive her to Shreveport so that she could catch her plane to Cali. I quickly checked with Tara to see if she wanted to be part of the trip, but received no answer.

While I waited for the contractors to arrive, I went outside to greet the new guard. He was a burly man, dressed like a lumberjack and, as Amy always did, he politely declined my offer of refreshments. It did not escape my attention when he deeply drew in my scent, and even Amy's nostrils flared noticeably. I guess that, after last night, I smelled of Eric in a whole new way. Ignoring their curiosity, I declared: "I have to go to my friend's home, and then I'm driving her to Shreveport."

"That's fine," Reiss replied in a thunderous growl that startled me a bit. "However, Mr. Northman did mention that he expects you to be back home by sunset." I acquiesced and went back inside.

The _Exsure_ people arrived 20 minutes later, right on time. As it turned out, they were a Supe-operated security company, and Eric had apparently hired them to transform Gran's house into some sort of high-tech fortress, so they had come to make an appraisal. I wasn't pleased with the idea at all, but chose to wait until I saw Eric to voice my objections. After checking that they were trustworthy, I left them to their task and headed toward my car. Amy slid into the passenger seat while Reiss followed in a SUV.

When I arrived at Scarlett's, Amy stayed in the car while the other Were parked his truck a bit further down the driveway and went to check the house's perimeter. Such precautions seemed a bit over-dramatic to me, but I kept my remarks to myself. A minute after I knocked, Scarlett opened the door and greeted me with a wolf-whistle. "Sook, you're glowing! Have you changed your skincare or…" she trailed off, wiggling her eyebrows.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her cheekiness. Such teasing was routine with her but, for once, she was spot-on. After all, I knew I still wore an outrageous afterglow from my night of debauchery with my Vampire, and no moisturizer could take credit for such radiance. Or could it? "Well, I _did_ use the brand new Viking Retinol+," I replied with a wink, "with real extracts of Scandinavian Sex God. For best results, use every night before sleep, and twice on Sundays_."_

Scarlett gave me an incredulous look before screeching: "OH MY GOD! You did it! I can't believe you redeemed your V-card!"

"Damn, Scarlett! Do you want to climb on the roof to broadcast that news?" I laughed as she gave me a bone-breaking hug. "I think there are at least three people in Bon Temps who didn't hear you the first time."

"I want _all_ the details!" she enthused, ignoring my taunting.

"It was great and it was very special and that's _all_ you're getting," I said with a smile.

"You selfish _biatch_," she pouted. "I shared everything with you about _my_ first time."

"And I _so_ wish you hadn't," I chuckled. "But think about what you're asking for a second. Do you really want a play-by-play of a heterosexual coupling?"

"Hum, yeah, on consideration, silence is golden," she declared, sounding considerably sobered. " But I'm happy for you, Sook. Judging from the shit-eating grin you're sporting, Tall, Blond and Pretty did a much better job than JB," she added with a laugh.

Scarlett and I chatted while waiting for her mother to return from Church (Sunday service was kind of a major social event in Bon Temps) and the easiness with which the conversation flowed just served to emphasise how much her absence would be felt. She really was the closest friend I had. There was Tara, of course, and some casual friends left from high school and the swim team who were always good for some company and fun times, but Scarlett was my go-to confidante and I would miss having someone like that in my life. When her mother came back, I excused myself to afford them privacy to say their farewell, and called Gran.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Gran! How's NOLA?"

"Everything's wonderful, my dear," she replied, the smile evident in her voice.

Gran proceeded to update me on Linda (who was coping well) and Hadley (who had apparently already found herself a new beau, but was kind of secretive about him). I didn't mention what had happened with Eric, as it was something I wished to discuss in person. When she asked about his health (which was a rather pointless concern, as Vampire's health hardly varies), I informed her that I had seen him last night but didn't elaborate. Before she ended the call, I said: "Gran, do you remember the question you asked Eric before you left?"

"Yes I do, my dear."

"Well, the answer is yes."

"Oh, there was never any real doubt about that," she answered sweetly.

A few minutes later, Scarlett and I departed for Shreveport. She already knew about Amy so wasn't surprised to see her in the car but she raised an eyebrow when she noticed the rest of my 'entourage'. I gave her a 'don't ask' look and she dropped it. We had lunch at the same seafood restaurant Scarlett had treated me to on my 16th birthday (but this time _she_ was _my_ guest) then I drove her to the airport. I still had some time to kill until I had to return to Bon Temps, so I called Jason. He was at Tatiana's and invited me to join them, which I accepted happily. When he gave me the directions to his girlfriend's apartment, I was surprised to learn that her surname was O'Neill.

As soon we had greeted each other, I quizzed her: "You're Irish?"

"Yeah, on my father's side," she explained with a smile.

That certainly went some way towards explaining her glorious Creole beauty. I remembered her mentioning to Gran that both her parents had died in a fire when she was young, but she had never elaborated about them. Since she was about to start cooking, I jumped in to help her while Jason, always the male cliché, helpfully watched ESPN in the background. While the aubergine moussaka was baking, Tatiana went to dig out a family album to show me her parent's wedding pictures.

The first picture was a close-up from the waist up of her parents exchanging their vows. Her Mom, Jeanette, was a darker, older version of Tatiana, with short hair, soft brown eyes and a warm smile. She was wearing a white peasant dress, in keeping with the fashion of the seventies, and flowers in her hair. Her father, Rowan, was a tall blond-haired man with bright green eyes (which Tatiana had partly inherited, as hers were hazel), who was wearing a white suit. If Jeannette was beautiful, Rowan was stunning in an almost otherworldly way and, looking at the gorgeous couple, it was very clear where Tatiana got her good looks from. The second picture made my heart jump: it showed Rowan and Jeanette dancing energetically, and the movement had caused Rowan's chin-length hair to flick up, unveiling his right ear: the shell was unmistakably pointy.

A Fairy.

My eyes darted to Tatiana, who seemed totally engrossed in the pictures. I dropped my shields to brush at her brain, but I found no evidence that she was aware of her heritage. I was a bit surprised that I hadn't realized that Tatiana was part-Fae but, at the same time, the brains of Fairy hybrids did not 'feel' very different from that of humans, especially if they had no spark. Rowan must have only been half-Fairy if he had been able to melt into the human world long enough to marry and have a child (my own grandfather Fintan had managed a similar feat in seducing Gran and giving her two children before she fully realized what he was). I also wondered if her Fae blood was one of the reason she had been the first woman to succeed in keeping Jason's attention for any length of time (Claudine had once told me that people who shared Fae blood often sought each other's company, subconsciously).

The third picture made my breath hitch audibly. It was a family portrait, with Jeanette's parents on her side, and on Rowan's side, smiling brightly, a Fairy I was very familiar with: Catriona O'Neill, Niall's companion.

_What's her problem? She looks like she's seen a ghost._

I realized I'd been gaping and quickly recovered. Tatiana was looking at me with an obvious question in her eyes. "Hum, who's that?" I tried to ask nonchalantly, but I don't think I was fooling anyone.

"Oh, that's Aunt Catriona, Dad's half-sister, why?"

"Oh, she reminds me a bit of someone… an actress, I think," I answered vaguely. "Are you two close?"

"Not really, I haven't see her in years…" she trailed off, but I caught something different from her thoughts.

_Why is she acting so oddly? I hope she'll drop the subject. Aunt Catriona warned me not to mention her visits to anyone, and as much as I like Sookie, family comes first._

"Oh, that's sad," I commented, keeping my game face on. "When was the last time you saw her?"

Her mouth said:

"Oh… years ago, when I was still a kid. She came to my parents' funerals, but that was it."

But her mind said:

_One month ago._

I kept asking her about Catriona, and simultaneously began to probe her mind more aggressively, until I felt her irritation and suspicion peak. By the time I finally dropped the subject, I had acquired some valuable intel I would share with Eric later on. Jason, Tatiana and I sat down to eat soon after. It was quite early for dinner, but Tatiana was working at the bar tonight so she needed to make an early start.

Afterwards, I drove back to Bon Temps with my Were escorts in tow, and upon arrival I barely had the time to shower and change into a pair of jean shorts and a tank top before it was dark outside. The evening was hot so I went into the kitchen to pour myself a glass of cool water. I had just finished drinking when I heard the back door open and close and, with a great whooshing sound, my Vampire was standing behind me, circling my waist.

I didn't even have time to utter a word of greeting as Eric spun me around and his lips collided with mine in a hungry kiss. I whimpered as he lifted me off the floor, and wrapped my legs around his waist before he crashed us into the wall. With my weight supported both by the wall and his waist, his hands were free to snake up under my top to fondle my chest. My bra was soon discarded and my tank top promptly followed. I moaned when he took a nipple in his mouth and my hands fisted in his hair as he worked me.

After a while Eric moved us again, this time to lay me on the kitchen table. He undid my fly and sank a hand down my shorts. My moans grew louder as he rubbed his fingertips against my sex through the barrier of my panties. His kissing and teasing of my breasts never stopped and, when I was thoroughly dampened, he slid the fabric aside and glided into me. My hips moved rhythmically against his phalanges, and my hands found their way to his gorgeous ass. Luckily, he was wearing tracksuit bottoms, so access was easy and immediate. I fondled and squeezed as he growled his approval. Just as I thought I would explode, he straightened up and tugged at my hot pants and panties until I was naked as a jaybird. Eric paused for a second to take in the view. "Home, sweet home," he purred with a wolfish grin.

I threw my head back to laugh but was soon panting again when he knelt in front of me and began devouring my sex. My orgasm nearing, I pulled him up my body for a kiss. My legs were still resting against his shoulders, testing my flexibility, so I lowered them to circle his back. Yanking down his pants, I breathed: "I want you now."

He obliged and pushed into me with a groan. I responded with an animalistic sound of my own, as my hips arched and my hands clawed at his back. He drove into me mercilessly as the table trembled beneath us. Just as I began clenching around his engorged cock, he rammed into me with one great shove, and the wooden legs creaked ominously, the sound loud enough to be heard above our cries and moans. I had a split second to realize that the table was collapsing before Eric spun our entwined bodies away, so that his body was the one to hit the hard tiles. The fall did not calm his ardor, or mine, for that matter. Sitting astride him, I met each of his thrust with sways of my hips and neither of us stopped until we had both reached our pleasure.

We lay unmoving for a while - me breathing heavily as I got hold of my sanity, him basking in post-coital bliss - before I finally broke the charged silence. "Fuck, Eric; Gran's table!" I exclaimed.

He eyed the wreckage with a lack of interest. "Hum, pity," was his only reply.

I lifted myself off him and rolled onto my back.

"Be serious, Eric," I scolded him. "What I am going to tell Gran?"

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "That she should consider making her house Vampire-proof, maybe?" he answered in a casual tone.

As pissed as I was (the table had been in the kitchen for as long as I could remember), I couldn't help but laugh at his cockiness. It was impossible to be mad at Eric for too long. I got dressed and he helped me clean up the debris (with extra care on his part, as loose wooden parts weren't exactly among his favorite things). When we were done, the kitchen seemed strangely huge and empty, but there was nothing doing: the table was unsalvageable.

**EPOV**

I gazed at my lover as she washed her hands in the kitchen sink, quietly admiring the long, toned legs that, only minutes before, were straddling me. As I had anticipated, sex with Sookie was a thrilling adventure. I was delighted that she had not shied away from rougher sex, going as far as enthusiastically spurring me on. Last night had been… incredible, exhilarating… fascinating. Her willingness to completely put herself in my hands had been extremely arousing, and the speed with which she caught on to things was certainly satisfying. More than satisfying. In truth, I had had some of the most intense orgasms I had ever experienced, and she was just getting started.

And it wasn't just the sex that had been marvellous, but also the deep emotional intimacy we had shared. I wasn't one for sappy declarations, but Sookie was unlike any other creature I had ever encountered. She was truly the perfect mate for me: she understood and accepted me entirely, she stirred to the surface feelings I had long buried, she trusted me implicitly and her love for me was as fierce as it was genuine.

Once she was refreshed, we moved to the living room and I settled on the couch, pulling Sookie down onto my lap. She cupped my cheek in her hand and said: "Baby, you did not feed."

I raised an eyebrow at her absurd endearing term, but let it slide. After that kitchen table session, she had earned the right to call me whatever she liked. "Do not worry, lover, I took enough from you last night to last me a week, at least," I replied.

She frowned and asked: "Why do you keep a fridge filled with blood-bags if you only need sustenance once a week?"

"I feed daily as a precautionary measure, not because I need to since, at my age, I require considerably less blood than most Vampires. When I am full, I am less likely to be distracted by bloodlust and lose control in a critical situation. Also, you have to remember that, until relatively recently, I literally didn't know where my next meal was coming from, so I fed every opportunity I got. Old habits die hard," I explained.

"I see. Well, I don't want you to break tradition on my account," she said with a smile, extending her neck expectantly.

"Are you sure, lover?" I pressed. When she nodded yes, I licked my lips as I eyed the fragrant and tantalising flesh. Her juicy artery was calling to me like a Siren song, but just as I was about to lick her skin to prepare her for the bite, my cell phone rang. I groaned in frustration as I answered the call. "This better be good," I said into the mouthpiece.

"Sherriff, forgive me for the interruption," came Soledad's voice. "I have run into a spot of trouble."

Trouble was an understatement. When I had arisen earlier this evening, I had not found any report from my day-man on my voicemail, which was most uncharacteristic, and my attempts at contacting him had proved fruitless. Since I was still in Bon Temps, I had contacted Soledad as soon as dark fell and instructed her to check up on him. Now she was calling to report that she had found his house entirely ransacked. She had not needed an invitation to enter his home for the good reason that his maimed corpse was lying in the bathtub. Confirming my suspicions, she informed me that Kato's scent was all over the corpse and the apartment. I cursed internally: I had been expecting his retaliation, but not so soon. He must have gone directly to my day-man's home when he left Sookie's last night. I was annoyed but not surprised that he had so easily discovered my day-man's address, and angry that he had deprived me of an able, loyal employee. "Call the cleaners," I ordered Soledad. "I want this taken care of at once."

"Very well, Sheriff."

I hung up and turned my attention back to Sookie. From the expression on her face, it was clear that she had heard both sides of the conversation. After a moment of silence, she asked stony-faced: "He's not going away quietly, is he?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm afraid that's unlikely. You have earned a reprieve, but my brother is tenacious. Ironically, the fact that you've managed to outsmart him might have actually increased your value in his eyes."

"God," she huffed. "Why is he stuck on me? He's this big magical kahuna; surely he doesn't need my telepathy? I can't even read every type of creature."

"You're a _sane_ telepath, lover. That's invaluable. I'm sure Kato has crossed paths with people gifted with your ability before, but I would bet few could make any productive use of their gifts. Beside, he knows about your fairy heritage. Fairies come into their Magic with time, and Kato is a patient man: he sees your potential, not what you are now."

"Yeah, that's pretty much what he said to me," she noted grudgingly. Her frustration was evident and I held her closer to me to comfort her.

"I will not let anything happen to you, my love. That's actually something I need to discuss with you: the new security measures I am taking to protect you."

"Hum, yeah. I already met my new guard. And the people from _Exsure_ came by. Speaking of, what is that about? Do you really think Gran will let you turn her house into Fort Knox?"

"Yes I do," I replied calmly. "I called her from the dojo, after I rose, and I discussed my plans with her. She takes your safety as seriously as I do, so she was very accommodating. As I already told her, the security system I want to have installed will be discreet and will not drastically modify the outward aspect of the farmhouse."

"What are they going to do exactly?"

"Replace the windows with bullet-proof glass, install cameras, motion sensors and various types of alarms in and around the property. The house also needs to be fireproofed, and the walls and doors re-inforced. Your grandmother has also approved the building of a light-tight den for my use under the house, and a staff house for your Were guards."

"I don't understand, I thought the point of the wards was to protect the house. Why isn't that enough?"

"Annabelle's wards have no effect on Vampires, Sookie, otherwise Kato wouldn't have been able to reach your porch last night." She blushed slightly, clearly embarrassed that she hadn't connected the dots herself. "The only ward that has any effect on Vampires is the one preventing us from entering a human home uninvited. The problem is that Kato could easily destroy the farmhouse to get around that hurdle, so I want to make it as difficult as possible for him to do." Sookie's annoyance was plain, so I decided to impress the gravity of the situation on her. "Lover, you must understand that I am still working out a strategy against Kato. He is younger than me but his powerful magical abilities make him a redoubtable adversary. Until I find a way to end him, I will not leave anything to chance."

"Eric, I'm sorry. My irritation is not aimed at you; I just hate being bullied into altering my lifestyle."

"I understand that, lover, but even if Kato weren't in the picture, there would still be Sophie-Anne and Niall to contend with."

Sookie's eyes widened. "Sophie-Anne? I thought we were safe from her?"

I shook my head. "No, we aren't."

"Since when?"

"Since she embarrassed me in front of you."

"Are you talking about the dressing-down she gave you in NOLA?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. When I confirmed, she shrugged her shoulders. "Well, what did you expect? You challenged her authority by hiding an asset from her."

"And she chose to discipline me in front of my _human_ pet. So not only did she publicly chastise me in front of - and forgive me for saying this - what my kind considers cattle; but her goal was plainly to make you fear and/or respect me less. That alone tells me that whatever long-term plans she has for you do not include me. Add to that the fact that, as soon as my back was turned, she tried to push you into Compton's arms, a Vampire who is my subordinate in every way. For her to humiliate a Sheriff so thoroughly can only mean one thing: my death warrant has already been signed."

"But you said you were too valuable for her to alienate; now you're saying she's going make an attempt on your life?"

"I've had to rethink my position since, clearly, I've been resting on my laurels and underestimating my enemies, lately." I gave her a significant look, making it clear that I was referring to what had occurred with Kato. "The truth is that nobody is irreplaceable, not even me. I believe that sometime in the near future, after we've completed our bonding, treason charges will be brought against me, and I will be summarily tried, judged and executed."

Sookie's mouth fell agape, but she recovered enough to ask: "If she wants you dead, why bother with a trial? Why not just take you out discreetly? Why even wait until we're Bonded?"

"Because the assets of a traitor automatically revert to the betrayed monarch, and as my Bonded, you would qualify as a personal asset. In fact, you already do thanks to the 'declaration of ownership', but she doesn't know about the existence of this document yet. The point is that she would 'inherit' you after I met my true death, and with the blessing of the High Council."

"How can you be sure that's what she'll do? Maybe she just reacted out of anger and you're reading too much into her actions."

"I know that's what she'll do because that's what _I_ would do. Sophie-Anne has many flaws: she's conceited and foolish with money, among other things, but she is neither stupid nor impulsive. Everything she does is calculated. Her outburst was designed to show you who the top dog really is, so that when you begin to seriously fear for your safety, as you inevitably will, she will be the first person you come to for protection. If she really trusted me with your care, she would have acted very differently, at least in front of you."

"So she's trying to make me come to her, but even if I don't, she'll make sure she gets me another way."

"That's the gist of it, yes."

Sookie closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. "So what happens now? Are you going to commit treason for real?"

"I will not draw first blood, but I will prepare myself for every eventuality. I have a spy in her Palace who will discreetly screen the Palace staff and visiting Sheriffs for potential allies. There are many who are dissatisfied with Sophie-Anne's rule for one reason or another. I'll make sure these people are on my side if, or most likely when, it comes to an armed conflict."

"You're going to stage a take-over," she stated.

I shrugged. "If she threatens me or mine, she'll perish," I stated matter-of-factly.

"And then you'll be King," she declared. Her voice was neutral, but she couldn't hide her dejection from the bond we shared.

"I have no interest in that position, lover. If it comes to that, I will cede the kingdom to an ally, in exchange for an iron-clad Royal decree protecting both our positions and interests." I smiled as her eyes lit up. She obviously had as little interest in being a King's pet as I had in being King myself.

She gave me a small grin. "You've thought this through, haven't you?"

"Yes I have. No more procrastinating."

I went on to explain her that Amy was about to be dismissed and that Daner, who - unlike Amy - was a professional bodyguard, would be taking over her duties, i.e. driving her to and from professional assignments and providing discreet guardianship from a distance. I did not mention the other Were I was in the process of hiring, a close-protection officer who would be shadowing her every move as she began University, since I knew she would balk at the idea and I didn't wish to waste time in fruitless arguments: Sookie's safety was non-negotiable. "I've also brought you a membership at _Shooters_, a shooting range in Shreveport," I added. "I will provide you with a handgun and custom silver bullets, so that you can defend yourself against Weres _and_ Vampires. As for our training sessions, they will be increased to three a week. I want you on top form."

"Wow," Sookie exclaimed. "You weren't kidding about not taking chances!" She bit a lip adorably, and I sensed worry and hesitation filter through the bond.

"What has you worried, my love?" I inquired.

"Hum… listen, Eric, I am very grateful for everything you're doing, but you've been spending an awful lot of money on me, and now you're talking about spending a lot more. I've screened your businesses, so I'm aware that you're doing all right, but I'm also aware that you're only a partner in most of them, and it's not like they're _Fortunes_ 500 companies. I don't know exactly how much money you're making, and that's obviously none of my business, but I have the distinct impression that you're over-extending yourself on my account, and I can't accept that."

I smiled at her, genuinely touched that she would even show concern for my financial health. Such considerations had never crossed the minds of the countless women I had showered with presents over the ages. "My love, my business interests in Louisiana are insignificant in the greater scheme of my actual fortune. I did not live for a millennium only to have part-ownership of cinemas and clinics to show for it. I only bothered with these ventures so I could have declarable income for tax and residential status purposes. The bulk of my fortune is in Switzerland, and considerably dwarfs the profits I make from my US businesses. Trust me when I say that the risk of me running out of money is virtually non-existent."

"Oh, OK," she said, clearly lost for words. Her expression changed into a deep frown as she asked: "Wait a minute! Why did you give me $30,000 in cash _and_ pay me $800 an hour _and_ give me a car to do a job that has basically no value to you?"

I shrugged. "Would you have accepted the money if I had just cut you a check?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, there you have it. I had no intention of letting you take a menial, under-paid job that was utterly beneath you, but I knew you would be too proud to just accept my financial assistance. Our professional arrangement not only gave me a way to take care of your material needs that would be acceptable to you, but it also gave you an opportunity to practice your telepathy. Win-win for both of us."

I refrained from openly chuckling at Sookie's outraged expression. She was beautiful even when she was angry. "You are s_o_ high-handed!" she exclaimed. "All this time I believed your 'you're worth it' speech, but in the end I was just a charity case."

My amusement died on the spot. I gave her a stern look and declared coolly: "Do not be ridiculous, Sookie. You have offered me priceless gifts: your trust, your love, your blood and your innocence, yet you make a fuss about me giving you something that means nothing to me and that I could easily replace were I to lose it?" She remained quiet but had the decency to look slightly ashamed. "I did not lie when I said that your gift was worth every penny I rewarded you with," I carried on. "Just because I haven't made optimum use of your talent _yet_ doesn't mean I have been wasting my money. Beside, now that you are officially my pet, my peers will expect me to maintain you in a certain style. If it troubles you to accept my generosity at face value, then consider it as a necessary part of the public charade we must maintain to convince the Supernatural world that ours is a traditional Master/pet relationship."

Sookie bit her lips and looked at me guiltily. "Eric, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so ungrateful. It's just that… well, I've been raised to respect money. I've always been poor, you see, and the only reason I've adjusted so well to my new financial circumstances was the belief that I'd earned all that money fair and square."

I gently cupped her cheek and declared: "There is nothing respectable about money, my love; it's only paper and metal. Your attitude towards it is what is deserving of respect. You see it as a means, not an end, and I know that you would give it all up at a moment's notice if it meant coming to the assistance of someone you care about. You have nothing to apologize for."

"I hope you're right, Eric," she replied.

"Well, the good news is that now that I need to recruit a new day-man, you will have the opportunity to assist me in a task I actually care very much about, since I will require your services to screen applicants."

"Anything you need, Eric," she acquiesced, then she perked up. "Incidentally, I have news of my own: I have discovered one of Catriona's secrets," she said unexpectedly, a gleam of triumph in her eyes.

I listened as she explained the discovery she had made about her brother's girlfriend's link to Niall's paramour. "So Catriona visits her niece every two months in the human realm?" I repeated, once she had finished her speech.

"That's right," Sookie nodded. "She can't have children, you see, so she's taken a shine to Tatiana."

"And she's been using her to spy on you? Did she set her up with your brother for that purpose?"

"No, Tatiana's genuinely in love with Jason, that wasn't a set up. And Catriona doesn't actually ever ask her about me, surprisingly. I'm pretty sure there is no spying going on. From the little I saw when I was in Faerun, I would say that Catriona is simply lonely. Niall isn't exactly the warm and fuzzy type, so being his girlfriend, or whatever she is to him, can't always be that easy."

Now that was very interesting. Based on what Sookie had told me, Catriona was probably the closet ally Niall possessed (and most likely one of the few people he confided in), and I now had a way to get to her. I would need to formulate a plan to best use Sookie's tip-off, since a crude snatch and grab was out of the question. I would have only one chance to act: once spooked, Catriona would not show her hide again. I had one month to find the best course of action. "This is a very valuable piece of information you have given me," I congratulated her. "I will have to think about the best way to use it."

My phone rang at that moment, the caller Id informing me that it was Soledad once again. "Is it done?" I asked without preamble.

"Sheriff, we have a problem. The cleaning crew has been unable to get any work done. There is some sort of spell preventing the evidence from being disturbed."

Fuck! Kato was truly determined to ruin my evening. "Call Annabelle at her hotel and have her join you at the house at once. Let her see what she can do about that spell. I will be there in an hour at most." I ended the call and said to Sookie: "Lover, I am needed at Shreveport."

"Yeah, I got that," she pouted. "It's goodnight then?"

"No. I want you to come with me. I am travelling to NOLA tomorrow to meet with the head of Annabelle's coven and I expect you to be by my side. When we do get back, I want you to stay at my home for the foreseeable future."

"Why?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Because there is no way in hell that I'm trusting your night-time safety to anyone but myself when my brother has just gone on a murderous rampage. "

Sookie looked like she was about to voice objections, but I felt her grudging acceptance through the bond even before she nodded her assent. "Let me pack up my things," she said.

"Thank you, my love," I said, kissing her forehead. "You will find that I am a very low-maintenance housemate. I might hog the bathroom a bit and I admittedly oversleep, but I won't ever leave dirty plates in the kitchen sink and I'm more than happy to provide the evening's entertainment when there is nothing on TV," I finished with an eyebrow wiggle.

My little speech got the desired effect of distracting Sookie out of her bad mood. She leaned to give me an open-mouth kiss before whispering in my ear: "Speaking of evening entertainment, you still haven't made me cry out your name, Vampire. I think you will have to redouble your efforts…"

The wave of lust she sent me coupled with her playful nibbling of my earlobe made it very hard to restrain myself from claiming her right there on the couch, but Sherriff's duty called. With a great effort, I pushed her away from me.

"Go prepare your luggage, lover. Take only the essentials, as I have clothes and toiletries suitable for you at my home."

While Sookie got ready, I went outside and summoned Amy. I instructed her to head back to Shreveport to trail Jason's girlfriend and gather as much information as she could about her routine and acquaintances.

"What about Sookie, sir?" she inquired.

"Your assignment at her side is now ended. I am happy with your work, and after this new mission is completed, I will consider your debt to me paid in full." Back at the farmhouse, I found Sookie all set and we climbed inside her Audi for the drive back to Shreveport. The journey was made very pleasant by Sookie's stream of questions about my home. Despite her initial reluctance, it pleased me to see her so excited by the prospect of sharing my roof.

The clusterfuck I was confronted with as soon as I arrived at my late day-man's home sobered me immediately. As Soledad had reported, his badly mangled body was sprawled in the bathtub, and blood had sprayed all over the floor and walls. It was a butcher's job. Annabelle, who I was pleased to see was already on the scene, informed me that Kato had put a stasis spell over the body, making it impossible to move or destroy it. The bastard evidently hoped that human police would get involved before I had the time to cover up his crime, hence putting me in a heap of solveable but time-consuming troubles. The pettiness of his actions just reinforced my conviction that my brother was far from done with Sookie.

Annabelle had been unable to break the spell as it was too powerful for her to handle alone. She told me that she would need the help of at least one other witch, but it was an unacceptable solution, as the best witches in Louisiana lived in New Orleans, and I wanted the situation resolved tonight. After a minute of reflection, Annabelle had an epiphany: if I were to procure Sookie's Pallum ring, she could use its power to bolster her own magical ability enough to produce a counter-spell.

"I'm afraid the procedure will drain the ring of any remaining Fae Magic," she warned me.

I didn't much like the idea, but it was not like I had a wealth of other options. I wanted the incident contained, not only from human authorities, but also from Supernatural ones, lest Sophie-Anne used Kato's shenanigans as an excuse to claim that I was not capable of providing adequate protection for 'her' telepath. I went back into the wrecked living-room, where Sookie was waiting for me, and quickly explained the situation. She immediately agreed to relinquish her ring to me and did not even allow for my apologies. Silencing me with a finger over my lips, she said with a smile: "We're a team, remember?"

Thanks to the ring, Annabelle was able to break the stasis spell. I ordered Soledad to remain in the house and supervise the evidence removal and left with Sookie. We made two quick stops: one at _Dragon House_ so I could pick up some documents, and another at a grocery store so that Sookie could stock up on human food, and then we headed to my townhouse in the suburbs.

Once we had entered the gated community, I observed Sookie's reactions. It was obvious that she was surprised by the fact that my house was one of the more modest ones on the lot. I am certain she expected something lavish and over-the-top, but I am a practical man: no point in buying a mega-mansion screaming 'burglar bait' when I only had need for a light-tight room. Once inside, I showed her around the ground floor. She took in her surroundings with wide eyes, becoming particularly excited when she saw the contents of my library. "So that's where you keep your first editions," she noted. The swimming pool also got her attention, as well as the patio, even though it was still being re-designed.

"Your home is beautiful: so warm and cosy," she remarked appreciatively as I led her into the kitchen. "But I can't help thinking that it looks suspiciously like an upmarket and modern version of Gran's house," she added with a raised eyebrow.

"What if it does?" I replied with a smirk.

She narrowed her eyes. "Eric, did you redecorate your house so that it would look like my home?"

"Yes, I did," I easily admitted.

Sookie blushed deliciously before whispering: "Oh, Eric. I don't know what to say."

"Say that you'll never leave." Her eyes shot up to mine, but before she had time to respond (most likely to remind me about her desire to experience campus life), I hushed her. "Don't answer that just yet. You might change your mind after a few days with me."

She gave me a bright smile and began to load the fridge and the cupboards with her grocery store purchases. "The second floor is still a work in progress, as well as the patio, as you've seen," I explained as she worked, "but I look forward to giving you a proper grand tour in three weeks or so."

"I'd love that," she replied. "Where do you sleep? In the basement, like in your house in NOLA?"

"No, my bedroom is on this floor, but its entrance is hidden. Yours is upstairs, along with two guest rooms and a fully equipped gym."

She raised an eyebrow. "A gym right next to my room, uh? Eric, are your trying to tell me something?" she asked playfully.

"Absolutely not," I answered seriously. "You have already lost much weight these past two months, and I am certainly not encouraging you to slim down any further."

"Well, I probably will, since all the extra padding I've developed was a result of not having any serious work-out regimen for two years. Now that I'm disciplined again, I am bound to melt."

"Then please make sure to eat generously," I returned in an almost pleading voice. "It would break my heart to see all those curves disappear."

"Do not worry, Eric," she chuckled. "I'll make sure you still have something to hang on to while you destroy Gran's furniture."

"Good girl," I laughed. "Now, I need to work for a bit, but you are free to entertain yourself any way you choose: I have an extensive selection of movies, books and audio CDs, as you have seen. Make yourself at home."

"Thanks, Eric. I'm going to make a quick call to Gran to let her know I'll be in NOLA tomorrow night."

Once in my office, I booted up my computer and looked through the documents I had taken from my desk at _Dragon House_. It was mostly bureaucratic bullshit (police reports, bills, notifications, applications, queries, etc.), but it needed to be dealt with now so I could take the next two nights off. I also needed to make arrangements for my flight since I no longer had a day-man to take care of the formalities for me. I guess Reiss would have to double as errant-boy until I found a suitable replacement. As I was going through my papers, she came in carrying an English translation of _Candide_. She smiled at me, settled herself on a plush chair and began reading. Her quiet presence made the next two hours much more bearable. I smiled to myself every time I heard her chuckle as she read the satire, clearly as taken as I had been by Voltaire's dark humour and sense of the absurd. As soon as I had signed off my last e-mail of the night, I took Sookie's hand and led her into my bedroom through the hidden door concealed in the wall of my office. My den was the one space in the house I had kept mostly to my taste. Sookie eyed the sapphire walls, brightly coloured furniture and eclectic collection of art objects with an awestruck expression. "I was not expecting that," she finally said.

"What were you expecting?"

"Something grey and white, like your den in NOLA, or maybe some dark, manly colours like your office in _Dragon House_."

"Neither of these places are meant to reflect my personality," I replied. I extended my arm and slowly turned around. "_This_ is me."

Sookie laughed. "Yep, flashy, exciting and larger-than-life. This is definitely you."

"And this," I added pointing to the fur comforter, "is for you, my love. It's an exact replica of the one you loved so much."

"Oh yes, I remember quite clearly just how much I loved it," she declared, jumping excitedly on the California King-sized bed. I watched her for a moment as she slunk over the pelt like a contented cat, until she propped herself on her forearm and extended a hand in invitation. I joined her, and as she pulled me down onto the bed, she purred:

"Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?"

* * *

**A/N**: Thank you for reading. Next chapter **What Happened in NOLA** will be up next Friday.

I have set up a WordPress blog as a 'back-up', in case FF goes down again. I will be updating _The Watcher_ over there whenever it becomes impossible to do so here. The link is on my profile.


	21. What Happened in NOLA

_Why is age more than a number when it comes to love?  
Should we ask the ones who speculate  
When they don't know what it's made of?  
Should we ask the moonlight on your face  
Or the raindrops in your hair  
Or should we ask the man who wrote it there  
In the morning papers?_

_- The Morning Papers _by Prince

**Chapter 21 – WHAT HAPPENED IN NOLA**

**EPOV**

My fangs shot out instinctively as I came to. The fragrance enveloping me was almost too much to bear… sunlight and a concentrate of Sookie's essence. Amazing.

I felt her body's warmth before my eyes opened to look at her: she was sprawled over my torso, her arms hugging my waist and neck respectively. Her naked chest was rising and falling with her regular breath, and I knew at once that she was asleep. I closed my eyes and risked another intake of breath.

_Dear gods_, she smelt exceptional. As evidenced by the golden shade of her skin (the caramel hue much deeper than it had been the previous night), she had spent part of her day tanning. That would explain the smell of sunlight. But it was the other perfume filling the room that had my attention. It was as if a perfumer had distilled Sookie's blood until only her absolute remained, and then generously sprinkled the extract all over my sheets. It could only mean one thing... I licked my lips in anticipation.

I let a hand trail down her back, revelling in the contact with the smooth skin, until I reached her lower back and was surprised to feel my fingers brush against a vast expanse of rather rough fabric. I opened my eyes, looked down to investigate and was startled to discover Sookie's choice of underwear: she was wearing a pair of grey cotton panties that were massive enough to cover a woman twice her girth. Well, well, that item was definitely not from La Perla. Undeterred, I slid a hand beneath the garment to fondle her round ass.

My touch caused Sookie to stir from her sleep. "Evening, Eric," she mumbled.

I placed a kiss on her forehead. "Evening, lover."

As she used a hand to caress my side and softly kissed my nipple, I made no effort whatsoever to conceal my raging hard-on. The only reason I had not jumped her yet was because I was making a point of not sampling the air any further. Sookie giggled against my upper torso before raising her head to look at me. "You're in a good mood," she said with a smile.

Her hair was slightly messy from sleep, but her breath was fresh and her face glowing with health. I returned her smile and replied: "Who wouldn't be after such a wake-up call?" I gave her ass a complimentary pat, which reminded me of her strange sartorial selection. Crooking a finger under the large elastic band of her underwear, I inquired: "What is this, lover? Are chastity belts back in fashion?"

She giggled. "_These_ are my 'no sex tonight' panties."

I scrunched my face into a picture of hurt and asked: "What have I done to be so cruelly chastised?"

"You know why we can't have sex. You can smell it!"

"All I smell is the finest vintage of Fae blood I have ever scented without going insane."

She huffed. "I'm on my period, you big oaf."

I raised an eyebrow. "And the problem is?"

She rolled her eyes. "God, we're so not having this conversation again. Whatever scenario is going through your head, this is _not_ happening."

I eyed with longing the ugly piece of cloth separating me from a gourmet meal. "Sookie, please?" I pleaded with my best puppy-dog eyes.

She was unmoved. "No," she firmly stated.

"Do you realize that depriving me of this special treat is akin to pouring a starving man's favourite dish in the trash, right in front of him?"

She snorted. "You want blood?" She shoved her wrist right beneath my nose. "Help yourself."

"Ah, but this is not the same thing. Period blood is extra tasty because it has been in prolonged contact with nutrient-rich tissues. I think the culinary equivalent is the process of marinating meat in spices in order to enhance its taste."

She welcomed my comparison with a revolted grimace. "_Aaaaand_ you've done it! You've just put this southern girl off ribs for good."

"I'm only pointing out the injustice being done to me."

She threw up her hands in surrender. "OK, I give up. I'll obviously never make you understand why what you're asking is _beyond_ gross, so this conversation is over. Feel free to carry it on all by yourself."

She hopped off the bed, leaving me feeling cold and frustrated, and grabbed a silk robe to wrap herself in. "Do you want to know about my day?" she asked above her shoulder. "Or are you going to pout all night?"

"Please share," I replied flatly.

She settled back onto the bed and bent forwards to give me a deep kiss. When she broke off, her expression was apologetic. "I'm sorry I was such a tease, Eric. I should have worn more clothes, but I love the contact with your skin."

She could have worn a burka and still have had the same effect on me, but that wasn't the part of her apology that caught my attention. "You love being against someone with no body temperature?" I asked, taken aback.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I just do. You feel good. You feel safe."

Safe? Safe was the last thing she should be feeling right now. That she was not remotely bothered by my chill or my rigor mortis was a feat in itself, but that she would feel safe in the company of a large, horny, Vampire while she looked and smelt like a five-star dinner served on a golden platter was almost absurd. I needed a distraction, fast. "You were about to tell me about your day," I reminded her.

"Yes. So first of all, thank you for the letter. It really made my day."

"I meant _every_ word," I replied with a grin and an eyebrow wiggle.

She looked a bit thrown off by my leer, which told me that she hadn't discovered the true meaning of my note. I chuckled quietly to myself and resolved to give her a hint later.

"Well, that was very sweet." No it wasn't. "Apart from that, Reiss came by this morning and brought lounging chairs for the pool, so I spent the morning and part of the afternoon tanning while reading. That was fun, although not very productive. I did manage to get a few things done, though. LSU sent me an email confirming which campus room I've been assigned and I've forwarded the message to you. I met with Claudine a few hours ago, and she told me she would replace my ring, but that it would take a little while. I didn't discuss specifics, but I asked her about Catriona's family, and she confirmed that Catriona had a half-brother named Rowan who left Faerun decades ago and was never seen again. She didn't seem to be aware that he had married a human woman or fathered a child before he died, which makes me suspect that Niall might not know either. I didn't want to tell her more until I had talked things through with you. I also did an Internet search regarding Vampire wards. I have no idea how legit the information is considering how sketchy the website was, but according to there is a spell preventing the dead, in spirit or corporeal form, from entering hallowed ground. I'm not sure how that works or if it's possible to make that spell specific to certain 'dead people', but that's food for thought for when you meet the witch tonight. Lastly, I've already packed my luggage, so I'm ready to go whenever you are. I loved the clothes by the way. The shoes alone look like they cost more than my tuition fees, but I'm sure I'll get used to it."

I had silently listened to her speech and was very pleased to hear that she had shown initiative. I was also satisfied that she had accepted the designer wardrobe I had bought for her without a fight. It looked like the talk about money we had had yesterday had borne fruit. "You've certainly been busy," I commented. After a moment of reflection, I added: "You can confide in Claudine. She might be able to help when the time comes to make our move against Catriona."

Sookie nodded her approval. I grabbed my mobile phone to check my messages and was pleased to see several messages from Reiss. The Were had followed through with the task list I had emailed him before going to rest: he had contacted Herveaux Constructions in regards to the improvements I wanted done to the Stackhouse farmhouse while Sookie and Adele were both away, had called Octavia Fant to confirm our meeting and had collected the limo for our transportation to the airfield.

As I made to get up, Sookie put her palm flat against my stomach. "Wait. Just because _we _can't have sex, it doesn't mean _I_ can't take care of _you_." She bit her bottom lip and let her hand trail down to circle my shaft. I shook my head and took hold of her wrist to stop her. "No, lover. I have no interest in letting you pleasure me unless you allow me to reciprocate."

She gave me an incredulous look. "This is the second time you've turned down a blow-job."

"Do I get a sainthood on the third strike?"

"No. But if you keep turning me down, I might stop offering," she replied with a smirk.

Despite my insistence, Sookie refused to join me for my shower (I couldn't be trusted to 'behave', apparently), so I made a quick job of it. I dressed in a formal black suit as I would be expected to check in with Sophie-Anne upon landing in NOLA, and packed my hand luggage (Sookie had elected to wear a powder blue shift dress with nude Christian Louboutin heels whose red soles made my fangs ache). Besides my laptop and a few documents, there was very little I needed to carry. We went upstairs so that Sookie could cook and eat her dinner and, at sundown, the light-tight shutters automatically lifted to let the moonlight flood the kitchen.

"Reiss is waiting in front of the garage," Sookie declared as she dried the last of her clean dishes.

We made it to the airfield ahead of schedule and took off unevenly. Once we were at cruising altitude, Sookie spoke up: "Eric, would you be OK with exchanging blood tonight?"

My gaze bore into her as a grin spread onto my face. "I would love that, lover. Any particular reason why you're suggesting this now?"

"Well, you've said that the bond gets more intense every time we exchange blood, so that means that you'd be able to get a better feel of my emotions, right?"

"Indeed. A second exchange would allow me to distinguish the small nuances in your emotional palette, and feel you acutely from greater distances."

"Well, wouldn't that make you feel more relaxed about the whole LSU thing, having a better way of monitoring me? You'd worry less, wouldn't you?" When I raised my eyebrows in surprise, she explained: "I noticed the way you scowled when I mention the dorm room e-mail. I know you're worried and unhappy about my living on campus, even though you're keeping most of your complaints to yourself. This is me meeting you half-way."

Moments like this reminded me why I loved Sookie so much. "Come," I said, extending my hand. I led her to the back room of the plane, where a small bedroom had been outfitted. I had hoped to introduce Sookie to the mile-high-club this very night, but I would settle for a strengthening of our bond. I disrobed and invited her to do the same, knowing that a blood exchange would inevitably result in us getting messy. Once we were both unclothed (Sookie had kept her horrid underwear on) I sat on the bed, my back against the headboard, and invited her to settle in between my legs, with her back against my chest.

Once she was comfortable, I bit my right wrist and offered her the seeping wound. She latched on enthusiastically and I moaned in pleasure as she drew deeply. I cupped her breast with my free hand, savouring the weight of the supple orb in my open palm, and after a few seconds, I began licking the crook of her neck until the skin was sufficiently numb. Sookie gasped when I bit down, and began moving against me. Her swaying hips, combined with the effect of her suction, were my undoing, and it wasn't long before I found my release. I did not stop drawing her blood until I felt a sharp increase in the intensity of the bond. Only then did I let go of her artery and lick the puncture points closed. I closed my eyes for a moment, basking in the heightened sensations. Sookie's lust flooded me, her desire feeding mine, but she stubbornly refused to allow me to quench her hunger in the way I was dying to, so I had to find another way to bring down the tension. When I suggested a full-body massage, she agreed eagerly, and we spent the rest of the flight entertaining ourselves in that manner.

When the pilot announced our descent into New Orleans, we cleaned up and put our clothes back on. Once we were back in the main cabin, I decided to have a little fun with her. I settled in the seat next to hers and said: "Lover, have you brought my letter with you?"

"You mean the one you left on my pillow this morning?" I nodded. "Sure, why?"

"Why don't you give it another read?" I suggested with a smirk.

Sookie looked slightly puzzled but wordlessly extracted the note from her handbag. I glanced at the letter over her shoulder as she took it from its envelope, re-reading my own words with amusement, and waited expectantly for a reaction.

_Lover,_

_I am writing these words as dawn nears and I_

_cannot tell you how dearly it costs me having to_

_wait until sunset to softly caress your velvety skin,_

_to kiss your luscious lips, to stroke your cheek and_

_bury my nose in your fragrant hair. You live in all_

_my thoughts and desires, and I am proud as a pea-_

_cock to be the only man allowed to call you Mine._

_Deep in my heart lies your dominion. I hope that,_

_inside your soul, a very similar place exists for me._

_Your love is my sun and my sustenance; it is the_

_sweet solace of one who has known bitterness on ac-_

_cunt of his nature and fate. Be safe, my love, until_

_tonight, when we will be rejoined._

_E –_

As soon as she was done, she looked up at me with a smile and said: "As I've said, it was _so_ sweet! Thank you, Eric. I had not taken you for the sentimental type, but this gesture was incredibly romantic."

"I am _so_ not the sentimental type, lover" I replied, barely containing my mirth. I could sense her irritation prickling so I elected to point her in the right direction. "Don't you notice something odd about the wording?"

She looked the letter over with a frown and declared: "Well, you've made a spelling mistake on the word 'account', but that's no big deal."

"Did I?" I replied, chuckling. She was glaring at me now, clearly put off by not being let in on the joke. "All right, all right," I conceded. "Read the first word of each line."

"Why?" she asked with a narrowed eyes.

"Indulge me, my love."

She shrugged and began reading aloud: "First word of each line, OK. ' Lover I cannot wait to bury my cock…'," she trailed off. After a short pause, during which the bond registered her shock, she exclaimed: "Holy shit! And there I thought you were romancing me!"

I exploded in laugher even as she shot me a scandalized look. "Come on, lover. You did not seriously think I would ever write anything that corny without an ulterior motive?"

"That wasn't corny," she protested, "that was sweet and tender. And it serves you right that there isn't going to be any of _that_ for the next few days."

Tray was waiting for us when we disembarked from the plane, and we were swiftly driven to my townhouse. Sookie's grandmother, cousin and aunt were all waiting to greet her. As soon as Adele saw us, I knew that she knew what had passed between Sookie and me. She was too perceptive to miss the subtle change in our body language, but she made no remark, greeting me with her usual warmth and ease and inquiring about our flight.

"I must check in with the Queen," I announced after a few minutes. "Sookie, I will let you get settled. I should be back within half an hour. Paulette is on leave but you can use Tray for any errand."

My visit at Amun Tower was predictably unpleasant. After I had stated the purpose of my visit, Sophie-Anne invited me to stay for one of her orgies in a transparent attempt at stirring trouble between Sookie and me. I declined curtly, but was not allowed to go until she had quizzed me about the state of our bond. "It is progressing nicely," I answered when prompted.

"I have given you a 30 days grace period, Northman," Sophie-Anne snapped. "I want that Bond completed."

"Or what?" I asked, nonchalantly.

"I beg your pardon?" she hissed.

"I said, or what, your Majesty? You might be my Queen, but your power doesn't extend to deciding how, or with whom, I chose to share my blood."

Sophie-Anne levelled an icy glare at me which I held with complete indifference. I had called her bluff and I knew her game: there was nothing she could dare do until I had Bonded with Sookie. By then, I would be prepared to take her out. I was excused after a couple of minutes of stare-down and rushed back to my house to change out of my stuffy suit into a more comfortable jeans-and-sweater combo. When I arrived, I stumbled on Sookie and Adele having a tete-a-tete in the drawing room. Based on the mixed emotions I had gotten through the bond during my visit at the palace, I had surmised that Sookie had confided in her grandmother that she was no longer a virgin. My suspicions were confirmed when Adele invited me to join them on the sofa.

"Eric," she began once I was seated, "Sookie and I had a little chat while you were away." She gave me a significant look, leaving no doubt as to what she was referring to.

I patiently waited for her to proceed. "Now, I know that you love each other, and I certainly remember what it felt like to fall in love for the first time." Her gaze became unfocused for a moment, as she got lost in pleasant reminiscing. Sookie was squirming slightly beside me, clearly uneasy with the conversation. I held her hand for reassurance, and she relaxed. "Still," Adele picked up, "passion does not preclude responsibility, so I must ask you in all seriousness: do you two make responsible use of prophylactics?"

"_Gran_!" Sookie gasped in absolute shock.

Adele was imperturbable. "Be quiet and listen to me young lady," she admonished. "I am in no rush to become a great-grandmother, and I do not want either of you to catch one of those fancy new diseases!"

It had been generous of Adele to say 'either of you' since, clearly, I was the only potential 'health risk' in this couple. Sookie was looking around the room restlessly and from the emotions I got through the bond, I could only assume she was looking for a rock under which she could crawl and my part**, **my sides were hurting from the herculean effort I was making to keep myself from bursting into hysterical laughter. Adele's expectant gaze was ping-ponging back and forth between Sookie and me. She clearly would not let either of us leave this room until she got her answer.

"I must admit, Adele, I never had any use for these contraptions," I replied with as straight a face as I could keep.

"Mr Northman," Adele breathed, "you disappoint me so! I had taken you for a sensible man." She turned her attention towards Sookie. "And you, my dear, I do know they teach about you these things in school nowadays."

I was still choking on my laughter but Sookie was in agony. She was now pleading me with her eyes for a mercy kill. Not a chance; I was having too much fun.I finally decided to put both women out of their misery."Adele, I can assure you that your concerns are unwarranted," I explained. "I cannot carry or transmit any human diseases, nor can I get Sookie pregnant."

"Oh," was Adele's sole response.

I could tell that the last part of my answer had seriously surprised and disappointed her. Apparently, it had never occurred to her that, being dead, my fertility levels were never going to be very high. Adele swiftly recovered her countenance and straightened up."Well then, I believe we have discussed all that needed to be discussed," she said primly, now fully back in southern belle mode. Sookie heaved a breath of relief and promptly excused herself. Once she was gone, Adele turned to me with an inquiring look: "Is she always so uptight when it comes to discuss sex?" she asked in all innocence. I burst out laughing, startling the older woman. Right this instant, I could not have told you which one of the two exceptional Stackhouse women I liked best.

I changed and left a few minutes later, to meet Octavia Fant at her coven's HQ, the Moongoddess Emporium, an esoteric boutique that doubled as a place of gathering. Fant, an older black lady with a halo of white hair, sharp features and an air of calm authority about her, escorted me to her small office at the back of the boutique. After exchanging polite greetings, she got right down to business.

"I understand that you have a witch infestation problem," she stated. Well, that was quite an eloquent way to put things.

"Indeed", I confirmed. "Do you know what a Master of Magic is?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "I do. There are very few of those, and they are very powerful and very dangerous."

"This particular Master is a Vampire."

The expression of shock on her face deepened as she said: "Well, well. That is quite a lethal combo. What is it exactly you expect of me, Mr. Northman?"

"I want to learn how to strip him of his Magic, or how to gather a more powerful force to beat him at his own game."

"I'm afraid I cannot help you with your quest, Mr. Northman," Fant replied unemotionally. "Were I to gather all the witches in my coven, or even merge with a dozen other covens, we would still be no match for an Undead Master of Magic."

Just as she pronounced these words, I felt Sookie's rage through the bond, and I quickly texted her to inquire as to the source of her ire. My phone beeped a few seconds later, announcing a new text message.

_FUCKING Bill Compton! I'll explain later. I'm fine. xxx Sookie_

I frowned in irritation. What had the worthless worm done this time? I trusted Sookie was in no immediate danger, but still texted both Tray and Reiss with instructions to keep a redoubled watch on the house. When I looked up, Fant was eying me with a distinctively unimpressed expression. She had remained quiet while I sent and read my various text messages, so I apologized for my rudeness.

"I have heard of a spell that keeps the dead away from hallowed ground. Would such a spell keep the Master Vampire in question at bay?"

Fant considered my question for a few moments. "Such spell does exist, but it is extremely difficult to cast, as hallowing ground requires the most potent of Magic, and it is almost impossible to break. I suppose you were considering this spell as a form of protection for a piece of land or something like that?" I nodded. "Well, Mr Northman, the problem is that if such spell were cast on a field, no Vampire, including you, would ever be able to set foot on said field again."

I cursed internally. This was no good. "Is there nothing that can match or outmatch the Magic of a Master of Magic?"

"I know of only two such things," she replied. "The Magic of a very old, very powerful Fairy…" she trailed off.

"And?" I pressed.

"Well, there are the Britlingens," she finally said.

I raised an eyebrow: the Britlingens were a race of immensely powerful warriors with a reputation for mercilessness. They could be hired as mercenaries, but their fees were astronomical. Suddenly, my assurances to Sookie that I was safe from bankruptcy did not seem so truthful. Fant noted my thoughtful expression and added with designed casualness: "If you can persuade one of their warriors to travel into this dimension, there are very few creatures they cannot beat in a fight. Magic has very little effect on them." She paused, waiting for me to speak, but I remained silent and appraised her. We clearly had entered the negotiation part of our meeting, and this was the point where she would name her price, and I would do my best to lower it. Finally, she spoke: " I _could_ arrange an introduction, for a fee…"

I did not hear anything beyond these words as the bond was suddenly flooded with Sookie's terror. I zoomed out of the Emporium at Vampire speed and took to the air. By the time I was midway to my destination, my home came in view. The first floor was engulfed in a bonfire, and the flames were licking at the windows of the second floor. The bond told me that Sookie was still in there, consumed by fear and horror.

By the time I landed on the roof of the burning house, my panic had reached peak levels. I heard the sirens of the fire brigade approaching, but I could tell they would be too little, too late.

My love was inside the building. Alive, but trapped.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you for reading. Next chapter **Seeing Red** will be posted next week.

I have been very bad at responding to the reviews of the last chapter, and I apologize. I read and cherish every single one of them and they motivate me to go ahead with the story, so thank you very much if you left a review. Speaking of, I have put up a poll on my profile page (at the very top) and it would be extremely helpful if you could take a moment to answer it.

To my fellow Frenchmen, I hope you had a great 14 juillet.

And to my fellow Trubies (that would 99% of you, right?), I have some good news. *******SPOILER ALERT. DO NOT READ ON IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED****** Apparently, Eric and Sookie finally get together in every sense of the word in episode 6. Hopefully, Amnesia Eric (who is the most adorable thing ever) hasn't forgotten _everything_, lol.


	22. Author's Note

Dear readers,

First of all, allow me to apologize for my long silence. Considering the incredible amount of support I have received for this story, I should have spoken up a long time ago to remove any doubt as to my intentions regarding the future of _The Watcher_.

Which brings me to my second point: I have **NOT** given up on _The Watcher_, and I fully intend on finishing the story.

As to the reasons behind my absence, the short version is that I was distracted by other things during the summer and went through a period of writer block and self-doubt; and even after that passed, I found out that it is very difficult to get back on the saddle after a long hiatus.

The long version?

A couple of weeks after I published chapter 21, I received a PM from a long-time reader which greatly impressed upon me. The message basically stated that, while _The Watcher_ had begun with promise, the story as well as the characters had lost some of their appeal and charm and had become two-dimensional. There was particular criticism of the way I handled Kato and his plot line.

Now, let me say straight away that the PM, while critical, was in no way mean-spirited or disrespectful, and I totally encourage people to express their honest opinion, whether positive or not. The reason why it had such a profound effect on me is because… I actually agreed with every point. I really haven't been happy with many things about _The Watcher_, and having my concerns shared by somebody else - someone whose opinion I so completely respect - put a bit of a damper on my enthusiasm, as you can imagine. I also had other stuff going on but, basically, I let my insecurities get the better of me (it seems all writers, even two-bit writers of fluffy fanfiction, are totally neurotic, lol!).

That said, I've come to terms with the fact that I ain't **Nabokov** or **All About Eric**, and _The Watcher_ is my first effort anyway, so things aren't going to be perfect. All I can do is go on and hope for the best.

I want to thank all of you for your support. Not a week has passed since my last update without a kind review or PM, or new story/author alerts. You cannot imagine what that does to my ego and my mood. Thank you _so_ very much.

So, in short, _The Watcher_ lives! I know where the story is going and I've already written chunks of future chapters. I've just started Uni again so I cannot promise a new update before the end of this month, though I will try, but by mid-November _at the latest_, we will be back to weekly updates.

Again, I'm sorry. Thank you for your loyalty, and please bear with me. I will not let you down.

Rheya Kelvin

PS: may I suggest you check out the following stories in the meantime? They're all complete, so no risk of disappointment at all!

_- More than Dinner_ by **10Pints**

_- Viking vs Vampire_ by **AoifeNZ**

_- Dead on the Crossroads_ and the sequel _Death and Graduation_ by **GoddessD**

- This one is not SVM but, if like me you are a fan of Qhinn and Blay from _The Black Dagger Brotherhood_, you _must_ check out _Lola White_'s **Lover Bound**.

Have fun!


	23. Seeing Red

**AN: **A thousand thanks to my Beta **All About Eric** for all the hard work**. **I know you've waited long for this, so I'll save the full author's note for the end of the chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

_The story so far…_

**Chapter 1**: While hunting for the fairy Fintan in the woods of Bon Temps, Sheriff Eric Northman has a chance encounter with six-year-old Sookie Stackhouse. His attempt to glamour the child fails and he is forced to flee the scene.

**Chapter 2**: Eric returns to Bon Temps. He learns that Sookie is a telepath who is being molested by her uncle. Eric gains the child's trust by offering his protection.

**Chapter 3**: Over in Faerun (the fairy realm) the powerful Prince Niall -Fintan's father - learns of Sookie's existence and talents and immediately begins to covet her for his own purposes. Niall travels to Bon Temps to make contact with his great-granddaughter but surprises her with Eric and is deterred.

**Chapter 4**: Over the next 14 months Eric and Sookie develop a strong friendship. A couple of nights after Sookie loses her parents in an accident, she is abducted.

**Chapter 5**: Sookie has been abducted to Faerun on the orders of Niall, who plans to use her as a political pawn to stop the civil war that threatens to engulf Faerun. After several months in captivity, Sookie has to be returned to the human realm when she becomes sick. Upon her return, Eric feeds the child his blood, which has the beneficial effect of strengthening Sookie's telepathy and helping her develop mental shields.

**Chapter 6**: With the help of Eric's mentoring, Sookie grows into a confident and popular young girl. Around the time of her 13th birthday, Eric receives an unpleasant visit from Bill Compton, a procurer for Queen Sophie-Anne. Eric realizes that his association with Sookie is putting her in danger and decides to cool off their relationship. His resolve is only strengthened by his discovery that Sookie has begun menstruating and is now affected by his blood in a sexual manner. To save her from embarrassment and confusion at this critical stage of her development, Eric cuts all ties with her.

**Chapter 7**: At Sookie's 16th birthday party, she receives a gift from Eric, who has not been in contact with her for years. Frustrated and upset, she destroys the present and initiates a disastrous sexual encounter with her boyfriend J.B. DuRone.

**Chapter 8**: 17-year-old Sookie graduates from High School with a University scholarship and moves to Shreveport to live with her brother Jason. That night, she receives an unexpected visit from Eric. The reunion is tense and emotional, but the two eventually reconnect.

**Chapter 9**: Eric offers Sookie a summer job as his unofficial telepath, which she accepts. One night, Sookie telepathically kills an enemy of Eric who was attempting to stake him -a skill she accidentally developed years before. In the aftermath of the attack, Sookie impulsively kisses Eric.

**Chapter 10**: Eric resumes feeding Sookie his blood and the two work on repairing their friendship. Despite an ever-present romantic tension, Sookie and Eric's relationship remains platonic. After two months, Eric invites Sookie out for a date.

**Chapter 11**: During the date, Sookie openly confesses her feelings for Eric, who is pleased but conflicted by her advances as he feels she is too young and too innocent to be involved with a Vampire.

**Chapter 12**: Eric asks Sookie to be his girlfriend and agrees to an exclusive relationship. Gran demands to meet her granddaughter's new boyfriend.

**Chapter 13**: Eric agrees to meet Gran, and offers to look for Sookie's wayward cousin Hadley, who has escaped a rehab facility. Eric and Sookie have their first blood exchange, which Sookie later discovers enhances her Fae spark. When Eric and Gran meet, it is revealed that Gran is aware of Eric's Vampiric nature, but after making him promise not to have sex with Sookie until she is 18, she gives him her blessing. Back in Shreveport, Eric receives a surprise visit from Niall, who encourages Eric to keep Sookie safe but forbids him to form a permanent Bond with her. Eric defies Niall's edict, which was the fairy's plan all along. Niall has been informed by Sookie's cousin Claudine (who has become her Fairy Godmother) of the effect the blood-bond is having on Sookie's fae essence, and he plans on re-claiming his great-granddaughter as soon as her spark is fully expressed.

**Chapter 14**: Sookie is upset when she learns of Eric's deal with Gran but ends up accepting her grandmother's conditions. Eric and Sookie then discuss Niall's visit and agree to keep on strengthening the blood-bond. Hadley is found in New Orleans.

**Chapter 15**: Sookie confronts Claudine and is disappointed to learn that her cousin has been feeding information about her to Niall. The whole family reunites in New Orleans and each member is told about the Supernatural world. Eric recognizes the signs of advanced cancer on Sookie's Aunt Linda.

**Chapter 16**: Sophie-Anne summons Sookie and Eric. The Queen tricks Sookie into revealing her telepathy then attempts to curry her favor. Sookie politely declines the Queen's offer of protection, as well as Bill Compton's overtures. Sookie meets another of Eric's maker Ocella's children, the powerful sorcerer Kato.

**Chapter 17**: Kato visits Sookie and offers to tutor her in the magical arts while fanning her doubts about her relationship with Eric. That night, Sookie has a vivid nightmare about Eric cheating on her.

**Chapter 18**: Gran frees Eric from his promise regarding Sookie then flies to New Orleans to support Linda. Eric is worried by Kato's interest in Sookie. Sookie meets a witch she recognizes from her nightmare. Convinced that Eric has betrayed her, she has a meltdown. The next night, Sookie tricks Kato into admitting he had been manipulating her mood and dreams in order to engineer a fallout between her and Eric.

**Chapter 19**: Sookie and Eric reconcile and make love. Eric confesses his feelings.

**Chapter 20**: Sookie discovers that Jason's girlfriend, Tatiana, is related to Catriona. Eric begins to suspect the Queen is planning to have him tried for treason in order to acquire Sookie.

**Chapter 21**: Eric and Sookie return to New Orleans so that Eric can meet with the head of a witch coven. During his meeting, he senses Sookie's distress and returns to his home to find it burning up, with Sookie still inside.

_And without further ado…_

_••••••••••••_

**Chapter 22: Seeing Red**

_(This is __**SPOV**__ of the events of the previous chapter)_

Soon after Eric left for his meeting with the Queen, Gran rose and gestured for me to follow her out of the kitchen. Once we were comfortably settled on a sofa in the drawing room, she began: "I'm assuming Eric informed you about the modifications he intends to make to our home, am I right?"

"Yes," I replied. "He told me you gave him your blessing."

"Yes indeed," she confirmed. "Anything that can make you safer is most welcome. Eric told me that he had arranged for the express service but the work will take three weeks to complete. Where will you live in the meantime?"

"Well… probably Eric's house in Shreveport," I replied.

Gran hummed dubiously, which surprised me. "You're against us co-habiting?" I asked. "But I thought you gave Eric your blessing about us, err… getting more serious."

"That's not my present concern, Sookie. I was more thinking about the fact that your aunt Linda has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and yet you don't seem to be willing to make much effort to spend time with her."

I lowered my eyes with embarrassment. What Gran was saying was the absolute truth. I had nothing keeping me in Shreveport, since I wouldn't start my course at LSU for several weeks, so there was no justification for my behavior.

"At first I thought you were keeping your distance to deal with the shock of the news in your own way, but it's been a week… I feel it's time for you to show some family spirit. Your aunt needs you."

"I'm really sorry, Gran. I know I've been neglectful," I apologized.

Gran took my hands and said in a sympathetic tone: "Now, now. I understand that you're very much in love, and that it can blur perspectives, but family _must_ come first."

"This is not about Eric," I protested. "The truth is… I've been trying to avoid Hadley."

"Hadley?" Gran startled. "Are you still cross with her? Come on, Sookie. She's been through a lot. She deserves to be cut some slack."

I didn't know how to explain to Gran that I was not angry but uncomfortable and abashed around my cousin. I'd long thought of Hadley as spoilt and reckless but seeing her so broken and remorseful, I'd realized how unfairly I'd judged her. As I had said to Eric, it could have been me.

I got to thinking about Bartlett and the abuse I had endured at his hands.

By the time Eric found me, Bartlett's molestation had been going on for about three months. Before that, our encounters had been sporadic. My parents didn't particularly care for him; or rather I should that say that my mother was so jealous of my father's attention that she had purposely isolated him from his own family after their wedding.

For the first five years of my life, my extended family only convened at religious holidays, and even then only because of Gran's relentless insistence. As painful as it was for her to see her own son so little when he lived so close to her, she'd given my mother space and time in the hope that, once she was settled and secure in her marriage, she would stop interfering between him and his kin. Ironically, my mother's pathological jealousy most likely delayed the inevitable, as Bartlett had very little access to me in the beginning.

But when I turned six, everything changed. Gran decided she had waited enough. It was now clear my mother would never come to her senses, and she simply refused to become a mere acquaintance to her own son and grandchildren. She started using all sorts of excuses to make impromptu visits to my parents' cottage, and invitations to dine at her home became frequent. My mother resisted at first, but Gran simply refused to take no for an answer, and since she also offered to babysit Jason and me – thus giving my mother more alone time with the husband she so desperately loved - my mother eventually relented.

At first, I was delighted. I was quite neglected at home but Gran was warm, loving and always spoiled Jason and me with our favorite foods. More importantly, she accepted my little 'oddity' without judgment, unlike my parents who thought me mentally ill and were scared of me. Unfortunately, after a month or so of bliss, Uncle Bartlett became a fixture at Gran's. He now had plenty of opportunities to grow closer to me and, more critically, to isolate me. His modus operandi was to wait until everybody else in the house was otherwise occupied then insist I sit on his knee while he read me a story or watched a cartoon with me.

It began innocently enough, only to escalate with each visit. In the beginning he would stroke my hair and tell me what a pretty girl I was. Then his hands would trail up and down my arms, in an oddly insistent way. Then he grew bolder and began caressing my legs… and then my thighs, first over my clothes, then under them. His gestures were always accompanied by wet kisses to my face and whispered sweet words. More damaging than his touch, however, were his depraved thoughts.

I vividly remember the first time he dared touch me between my thighs… his dry, callused fingertips… the tentative appraisal of my anatomy… I remember the texture of his thoughts, how they vibrated with excitement and delight. I remember trying my hardest to shut down the flow of filth pouring from his mind in order to escape in my imagination… and failing miserably. I remember the flashes of Hadley, leaving me in no doubt that he had done to her what he was doing to me… and worse. _Much worse._

And after it was over, there was the shame, and the guilt, and the fear, clinging to my skin like a bad smell. I remember his passive-aggressive threats about keeping 'our secret', his offering of sweets as a reward for my 'good behavior'.

I know now that he was grooming me: progressively getting me used me to his touch, building up my fear and guilt to ensure my silence, 'teaching' me the correct responses that were expected of me… and just plain enjoying the crescendo to the climax.

Eric came into my life two weeks after that atrocious Sunday afternoon, and that had been the end of my ordeal. But while the damage Bartlett had inflicted upon me had faded over time, my cousin had been left shattered.

Unlike with her, Bartlett had stopped short of breaching my flesh. Maybe it shouldn't have made a difference (abuse is abuse, after all), but it did somehow. There was also the fact that my molestation had been spread over a matter of months and not over many years. And maybe I was blessed with a stronger survival instinct to begin with. All those reasons could explain why I had thrived, essentially growing up like an ordinary, happy girl, when my cousin had lost herself in drugs, alcohol, indiscriminate promiscuity and God knows what else; but that would be under-estimating the incredible influence Eric had had on me.

He'd not only believed and saved me, but he'd also provided me with a strong positive male figure to rely on and look up to (my father was far too distracted to be that figure). As we'd grown closer, he'd taught me that physical affection between a man and a child didn't have to be sexual or dirty; that it was OK to trust; that emotional intimacy was a beautiful thing and that I didn't have to live in fear. He'd gradually healed every mental and emotional bruise Bartlett had left behind. It's probably why, when the time came for me to make my first foray into the world of sexuality, I had displayed no hang-ups whatsoever. I doubt Hadley had ever had anyone like that in her difficult life.

Gran put an end to my ruminations. "Sookie?"

"Sorry… I was thinking about the past. I'm not angry with Hadley, Gran. In fact, I feel extremely sorry for her, and a bit… I guess I feel kind of guilty, for some reason."

Gran nodded understandingly. "Survivor guilt," she stated.

My eyes widened in surprise. I hadn't thought about my feelings in these terms, but I guess it made sense.

"You have nothing to blame yourself for, my dear. You were a fraction luckier than Hadley, and that changed your circumstances. That's all it was: dumb, blind luck. You can't torture yourself about what might have been. What is done is done, and all that matter now are the choices you make today."

I acquiesced. "You're absolutely right, Gran. I've got to pull myself together. I'll stick around here for a while longer."

"I'm really glad to hear that," she smiled.

"I'll just have to discuss logistics with Eric, but I'm certain that won't be a problem."

"Speaking of the Big Bad Vampire," Gran smoothly transitioned, "is everything as fine as ever between you two lovebirds?"

An image of the shattered kitchen table crossed my mind right this moment and I must have blushed three shades of crimson. Gran didn't miss a thing, unsurprisingly.

"Well, well," she said drolly, "when the cat's away…"

I couldn't help snorting a laugh. Gran let out a chuckle of her own then asked more seriously: "Are you happy, dear?"

"Yes. I really am," I replied. "Eric is wonderful."

"That all I want for you."

"So you're… cool with everything?" I inquired.

Gran shrugged slightly. "Well, I am as 'cool' as you can expect a lady my age to be in these circumstances."

I gave her a perplexed look.

"Understand me, Sookie; I am in a very peculiar position. Ever since your parents left us, I have had to be mother, father, and grandmother to you and Jason. I have had to love you, care for you, discipline you, educate you, guide you, and be a trusted friend and a respected authority figure all at once. Do not get me wrong, raising my two grandbabies has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my entire life, and I would not change a single thing that has happened since that fateful day when you came into my care. But it has also been a great challenge, one I could not have faced by sticking stubbornly to my old ways. I've had to adapt, to… modernize. For example, it cost me much to approve of your relationship with a much older man."

I opened my mouth to come to Eric's defense but Gran raised her hand to stop me. "A good, honorable man I have come to deeply like and respect, yes, but an experienced adult all the same… and you are still so young. Yet, I can see how deep your love for him runs, and how much trust you have in him."

She paused for a moment. "In all honesty, I wish you'd waited." She had not made an explicit mention of sex, but it was pretty clear that it was what she was referring to. "In a perfect world, you would have been a married woman and not a young lady in the throes of first love, but I know how things are nowadays and I am not in the habit of putting my head in the sand and pretending it's still 1950. I knew when I issued my ukase to Eric that I was stalling the inevitable, not preventing it."

"Eric would have respected the terms of your agreement," I said immediately.

"That might be so, but would you have?" she asked shrewdly.

I blushed. "If I am honest with myself, probably not." All through our courtship, I had been the aggressive one. Eric had only lost his cool once, the night he had barged into Jason's apartment, and with hindsight, he was probably high on Niall's Fairy scent then. Otherwise, he'd been hell bent on taking it slow.

"Do not think I judge you or your choices," Gran continued. "Unlike many girls your age, you gave yourself to a man you loved and who loved you back, and I am proud of you for that. It may not have been ideal in my eyes, but it was ideal in yours, and that is what truly matters. I don't want you to be in a position where you think you cannot be open and honest with me about the things that happen in your life. I only want you safe and happy."

"Oh, I am happy Gran," I said, hugging her.

Eric came into the room just as we were breaking off, and Gran invited him to join in on our little conclave. She then proceeded, to my utter mortification, to quiz us about condoms! After Eric had reassured her that Vampires had no need for such apparel, I slithered out of the room.

I found Hadley alone in the kitchen. "Where's your mom?" I asked her.

"She was feeling a bit tired so she went to lie down for a bit."

I sat down before declaring: "I want to apologize for not having been around to support you this past week."

"It's nothing, Sookie. I know I haven't been the best cousin to you. And you've got your relationship with that hunky vampire to keep you busy, now."

I shook my head no. "That's really not an excuse. I want you to know that I'm going to be there for you from now on. I'm planning on staying in NOLA until University starts."

Hadley gave me a warm smile, then, after a few moment of silence, she asked unexpectedly: "Is it weird, with a Vampire?"

"Is what weird?" I inquired, though I had an inkling as to what she was referring to.

"You know," she gestured. "Everything. What kind of boyfriends are they? How are they in bed? Are they into kinky stuff? Or do they just —"

"Hadley!" I interrupted, livid. "That's really none of your business! I can't believe you'd even ask that."

She gave me a disappointed look but didn't pursue her line of questioning. With a faraway look she said, as if to herself. "He treats you like you're something precious. I wonder if that's because you're his dinner…"

I was about to give her a piece of my mind but her tone gave me pause: it was a mixture of bitterness and wistfulness. I gave my cousin an appraising look. I had noticed the flirtatious looks she gave Eric but I had not given much thought to her behavior because, well, that was the kind of effect Eric had on women. But now I was starting to think that there was more than mere lust to her interest in my boyfriend. Based on what I knew, and what I'd guessed, Hadley had had less than positive experiences with men. I really couldn't fault her for wanting to know if the grass was greener in Fang Country.

"Eric is… very considerate and protective," I carefully explained. "But I believe that it has little to do with his Vampiric nature. I believe that he was already that way as a human. The way I understand it, being turned kind of exaggerates all your personality traits while changing the way you relate to the world. Vampires in general don't abide by human codes of ethics or morality, and they're not big on feelings. Not to say that they don't feel, but they are very selective about what and who they allow to affect them. What I'm trying to say is that whether a Vampire is good to you depends a lot on what kind of person he was as a human and on how you affect him. Eric would never hurt me, and while he's capable of extreme violence, he isn't cruel or sadistic; but there are Vampires who would happily torture and drain any human who crosses their path and toss away the bones. In that sense, they are as diverse as human beings. Have I answered your question?"

She nodded silently, seemingly lost in her thoughts. I couldn't resist the temptation of dropping my shields to see if my words had had the intended effect but I was startled as I caught the image of a dark-haired Vampire. "Hadley!" I gasped. "Where did you meet Bill Compton?"

She shot me an annoyed look. "Stay out of my head, Sookie!"

"Hadley, please answer me," I pleaded. "That man is very dangerous. He's the one that sold me out to the Queen. The nurse who betrayed you was working for him."

She narrowed her eyes and whined: "So what? The Queen didn't hurt you, did she? Bill's been very nice to me..."

Goddamn it! I didn't want to waste any time trying to coerce information from her so I dug directly into her mind to get the answers to my questions.

As it turned out, Hadley and Compton had had a 'chance' meeting at the clinic three days ago, and they'd already gone on a date. Compton had approached her in the cafeteria under the cover of visiting a sick friend. Hadley had figured out what he was when he showed a clear distaste for food but hadn't been deterred.

Compton had really turned on the charm with his southern gentleman routine. He'd gone as far as asking Hadley to introduce him to Gran so he could officially ask her permission to court my cousin. Unsurprisingly, Hadley had been dazzled. A man who treated her like a lady and didn't expect sexual favors from her on the first date? She thought she never had it so good. I felt terribly sad that Hadley had had such bad luck with men that a con-artist like Compton seemed like a Prince among men to her. Regardless, I would sooner become Andre's Fairy buffet than allow that rat bastard to weasel his way into my family. I didn't know if his interest was in Hadley as such, if maybe he was trying to determine whether the telepath's cousin had some hidden talent of her own that could have a market value for him, or if he was using her to get to me, but his motivations were completely irrelevant to me.

Hadley, who had surmised what I was doing from my prolonged silence and unfocused gaze, sprang from her chair and yelled: "I told you to stay the hell out of my head!"

My mobile phone vibrated with an incoming text: it was Eric, inquiring about my sudden foul mood. I quickly responded that I would explain the situation later and went after Hadley.

All of a sudden, I sensed an odd tingling spreading all over my skin. Seconds later, I felt a mysterious pull towards one of the guest rooms on the first floor and involuntarily went up the stairs. The closer I came to the door, the stronger the smell of pepper and cinnamon was. I knew I'd smelled that particular mélange before, but I couldn't place it. I tried to go back, but the guest room exerted an irresistible attraction on me. Once I reached the door, I opened it and was shocked to see Eric seating on a chair in the middle of the room, seemingly waiting for me.

"Eric? What are you doing here? What is happening to me?"

As soon as I had crossed the threshold, the door closed behind me and two things happened simultaneously: a great ring of fire materialized from thin air and surrounded us, igniting the furniture and the walls, and Eric's skin began to melt like a wax candle. At this point, I was downright terrified but I had no choice but to come closer to the… creature in the center of the room and away from the fire that was intensifying by the second. I thought about Gran, Hadley and Linda and hoped they would be able to get out of the house safely.

I coughed as the smoke-filled air burned my lungs. The temperature was getting hotter and I had no idea what to do. The seated figure was shedding more skin and morphing into something else before my eyes. After a minute, I realized with horror that it was Kato! His brown eyes looked glassy and lifeless, but there was no doubt that he was the source of the powerful magic that had drawn me into this room and was now burning down Eric's home. Slowly, he rose from his seat and made a step in my direction. I instinctively scurried backwards and stumbled onto my knees. A jolt of fear tore through me when I saw I had fallen right into the flames, but to my consternation I felt no pain nor experienced any burns. Was the fire an illusion? Why was it not directly affecting me yet I was feeling its indirect effects? I attempted to cross the wall of flames but found I was physically incapable of doing so.

Kato was still making his slow advance towards me. In desperation, I adopted a fighting stance, even though I knew I stood no chance against a Vampire -even one that seemed drunk on magic. As Kato closed the distance between us, I heard a great crash seconds before part of the roof collapsed on the far side of the room. I turned to see what had caused the commotion and saw a fireman in full protective gear rising from the debris. I instinctively knew it was Eric.

Alas, Kato saw him too and in an instant a great ball of energy shot through his hand and blasted Eric straight into the inferno. I was absolutely stunned because I knew I'd just witnessed Fae magic, which should have been off-limits to a Vampire, but I didn't waste anytime pondering on the mystery. Eric's fireman suit would not protect him for long, I knew that. I launched myself towards him but Kato caught my arm and immobilized me. I felt that odd tingling again, but before Kato could cast his spell, Eric zoomed out of the blaze and attacked.

His appearance was horrific: his clothes, his hair and patches of his skin had been burned away, and his face was a mask of rage, pain, and sheer blood lust. He looked like a savage beast from hell.

The magic Kato was using was apparently completely crippling him because he couldn't react fast enough to prevent Eric from decapitating him with a faster-than-light hand chop. As Kato's body collapsed, I threw myself against Eric's scorched torso. His arms encircled me and we began rising above the ground.

Before he could transport us out of danger, the flames surged higher and stronger than ever, swallowing us all. The fire still didn't affect me, but I knew it was the end for Eric. I heard his bellow of agony and something broke in me. Holding onto him like a lifeline, I prayed for a miracle: torrential rain, a flood, a deluge, anything to extinguished the flames that were killing my love.

I did not realize I was dematerializing until cold water abruptly surrounded me. I couldn't see anything, my ears were hurting, and when I tried to take a breath, my airways filled with fool-tasting liquid.

My last thought as I lost consciousness was for Eric.

* * *

**AN: **So, first of all, **THANK YOU**!

I really don't know how to properly express my gratitude for the amazing response to my open letter in the last chapter. You guys were beyond supportive and encouraging, and you did this girl's self-esteem a world of wonder. Thank you for you patience and appreciation. I love you all.

Now, onto the story. I hope that this chapter was worth the wait. Know that all the questions raised (What was Kato trying to achieve? How did he acquire Fairy Magic? Etc.) will be answered in time. I know some of you will find Kato's demise a bit anti-climatic, but remember that Niall was always the Big Bad of this story.

In other _Watcher_ news, I have rewritten parts of chapter 5 to smooth out inconsistencies. The main difference from the original draft is this: Sookie spends five months in Faerun instead of just 15 days.

Also, during my hiatus from the _Watcher,_ I've written a one-shot called _You Have A New Message_ and I've started a new True Blood story called _Rewind_. You can find both fics (as well as their respective banners) through my profile.

Love,

RK


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